Part 2/9:
To maintain a stable population, countries need a fertility rate of about 2.1 children per woman. Yet, South Korea's numbers have plummeted dramatically over the decades—from an average of six children per woman in the 1950s to a staggering 0.72 in 2023, the lowest fertility rate in recorded history. In Seoul, the figures are even more disheartening, hitting lows of 0.55.
To put this into perspective, if the current fertility rate persists, 100 South Koreans will only produce 36 children who could, in succeeding generations, dwindle the population down to a mere five individuals within four generations. The current population pyramid starkly illustrates this shift; there is only one 1-year-old for every four 50-year-olds, setting the stage for an inevitable public and economic crisis.