Korea's fertility rate is the world's lowest — the causes, the government response and what it means for daily life.
Korea's total fertility rate was around 0.75 in 2024, the lowest in the world, with roughly 230,000 births that year. The causes are economic and cultural, and the government has responded with financial, housing and childcare support.
Key takeaways
The reasons are practical more than ideological. Raising a child in Korea is expensive, work hours are long, and housing in major cities is small and costly.
Fewer births mean a shrinking young population, an ageing society, slower economic growth and greater pressure on welfare systems.
How Korean schooling works from kindergarten to university — school levels, the academic year and support for foreign students.
Private academies are a huge part of Korean learning — what hagwons are, who attends and how to choose one.
Quality care at reasonable cost — how hospitals, clinics and National Health Insurance work in Korea.
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