South Korea is facing a serious issue with its declining birth rate. The country currently has the lowest birth rate in the world, and it continues to decrease each year. In 2023, the birth rate fell by 8% to 0.72, far below the replacement rate of 2.1. If this trend continues, the population is estimated to halve by 2100. This has led to politicians declaring it a "national emergency" and implementing various measures to encourage childbirth.

Despite the government's efforts, financial incentives such as cash rewards, subsidized housing, and free taxis have not been effective in increasing birth rates. This has led to policymakers brainstorming more unconventional solutions, such as hiring nannies from South East Asia and exempting men from military service if they have three children before the age of 30. However, these measures have been criticized for not addressing the needs and concerns of young people, especially women.

One of the main reasons why South Korean women are choosing not to have children is the difficulty of finding a suitable partner who will share the responsibilities of childcare and household chores. The long working hours and demanding work culture in Korea make it challenging for women to balance their careers and family life. There is also a fear among women that taking time off to have a child may result in them losing their jobs or facing discrimination in the workplace.

The high cost of housing and private education also contributes to the low birth rate. Many couples are unable to afford the expenses associated with raising a child, especially in major cities like Seoul. Private education is seen as essential for a child's success, leading to financial burdens for parents. This has made Korea the most expensive country in the world to raise a child.

The social expectations and pressures placed on women to prioritize their careers over starting a family have also influenced their decision not to have children. Many highly educated women in Korea feel that they have to choose between having a successful career or having a family. The gender pay gap and limited opportunities for women in the workforce further exacerbate this trade-off.

Despite the challenges and concerns, some women still express a desire to have children. However, societal and legal barriers, such as the illegality of same-sex marriage and restrictions on using sperm donors, prevent them from fulfilling this desire. The government is starting to recognize the complexity of the issue and is considering treating the low birth rate as a structural problem.

In conclusion, South Korea's declining birth rate is a complex issue influenced by various factors such as the difficulty of finding suitable partners, demanding work culture, high cost of living, and societal expectations. The government's efforts to address the problem have not been successful so far, and a more comprehensive approach that considers the needs and concerns of young people, especially women, is necessary.

Original news source: Why South Korean women aren't having babies (BBC)

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Assign each group a specific section of the article to read and summarize.
3. Each group should discuss and highlight the key points of their assigned section.
4. Groups take turns presenting their summaries to the class.
5. Encourage discussion and comparison of the different summaries.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Prepare a list of questions related to the article's topic (e.g., "Do you think financial incentives are effective in increasing birth rates?").
2. Have students discuss their opinions on each question in pairs or small groups.
3. After the discussion, conduct a class poll by asking each student to vote on their opinion for each question.
4. Tally the votes and discuss the results as a class, encouraging students to explain their choices.
– Sketch It
Instructions:
1. Pair up the students and give each pair a piece of paper and a pen or pencil.
2. Assign each pair a specific section of the article.
3. Instruct the pairs to read their assigned section and work together to create a visual representation (e.g., a sketch, diagram, or comic strip) of the information.
4. After a designated time, have each pair present their visual representation to the class, explaining the key points they included.
5. Encourage class discussion and comparison of the different visual representations.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write key vocabulary words from the article on separate small pieces of paper.
2. Divide the class into two teams.
3. Each team takes turns selecting a word and having one member of their team draw a picture representing the word.
4. The team members must guess the word based on the drawing within a time limit.
5. If the team guesses correctly, they earn a point. If not, the other team has a chance to steal the point by guessing correctly.
6. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into two groups.
2. Assign one group to discuss the pros of South Korea's declining birth rate, and the other group to discuss the cons.
3. Give the groups time to brainstorm and discuss their respective points.
4. Have each group present their arguments to the class, with the other group providing counterarguments.
5. Encourage respectful debate and discussion among the students.

? Korea is facing a serious issue with its declining birth rate. The country currently has the lowest birth rate in the world, and it continues to decrease each year. In 2023, the birth rate fell by 8% to 0.72, far below the replacement rate of 2.1. If this trend continues, the population is estimated to halve by 2100. This has led to politicians declaring it a "national emergency" and implementing various measures to encourage childbirth. Despite the government's efforts, financial ? such as cash ?, subsidized housing, and free taxis have not been effective in increasing birth rates. This has led to policymakers ? more unconventional solutions, such as hiring nannies from South East Asia and exempting men from military service if they have three ?ren before the age of 30. However, these measures have been criticized for not ? the needs and concerns of young people, especially women. One of the main reasons why South Korean women are choosing not to have ? is the difficulty of finding a suitable partner who will share the responsibilities of childcare and ? chores. The long working hours and demanding work culture in Korea make it challenging for women to balance their careers and family life. There is also a fear among women that taking time off to have a child may result in them losing their jobs or facing discrimination in the workplace. The high cost of housing and private education also contributes to the low birth rate. Many couples are unable to ? the expenses associated with raising a child, especially in major cities like Seoul. Private education is seen as essential for a child's success, leading to financial burdens for parents. This has made Korea the most expensive ? in the world to raise a child. The social expectations and pressures placed on women to prioritize their careers over starting a ? have also influenced their ? not to have children. Many highly educated women in Korea feel that they have to choose between having a successful career or having a family. The gender pay gap and limited opportunities for women in the workforce further exacerbate this trade-off. Despite the challenges and concerns, some women still express a desire to have children. However, societal and legal barriers, such as the illegality of same-sex marriage and restrictions on using sperm donors, prevent them from fulfilling this desire. The ? is starting to recognize the complexity of the issue and is considering treating the low birth rate as a ? problem. In conclusion, South Korea's declining birth rate is a complex issue influenced by various factors such as the difficulty of finding suitable partners, ? work culture, high cost of living, and societal expectations. The government's efforts to address the problem have not been successful so far, and a more comprehensive approach that considers the needs and concerns of young people, especially ?, is necessary.

1. What is the significance of a declining birth rate for a country?
2. How would you feel if you were a young person in South Korea facing the pressure to have children?
3. Do you think financial incentives are effective in increasing birth rates? Why or why not?
4. What do you think are the main challenges faced by South Korean women when it comes to balancing their careers and family life?
5. How would you feel if you had to choose between having a successful career or having a family?
6. Do you think the high cost of housing and private education is a major factor in the declining birth rate? Why or why not?
7. What do you think are the societal expectations and pressures placed on women in South Korea?
8. How would you feel if you were a highly educated woman in South Korea facing the trade-off between a successful career and having a family?
9. What do you think are the main barriers preventing women in South Korea from fulfilling their desire to have children?
10. How would you feel if you were a woman in South Korea facing societal and legal barriers to having children?
11. Do you think the government's efforts to address the declining birth rate have been effective? Why or why not?
12. What do you think a more comprehensive approach to addressing the declining birth rate in South Korea would look like?
13. How would you feel if you were a young person in South Korea and the government implemented measures that did not address your needs and concerns?
14. Do you think the declining birth rate in South Korea is a unique problem or a global issue? Why or why not?
15. What do you think are the long-term consequences of a declining birth rate for a country like South Korea?

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