Newscriticism: "S. Korea President Says Wants To Create Ministry To Tackle Low Birth Rates" (Barron's, May 8th, 2024)

[From Barron's article.]

SUMMARY

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced plans to establish a new ministry aimed at tackling the nation's critically low birthrate, currently the world's lowest, posing a significant demographic threat. He made this proposal during a live address to the nation, seeking parliamentary cooperation to restructure the government and create the Ministry of Low Birth Rate Counter Planning. Despite substantial investment in initiatives to boost birth rates, including financial incentives and support services, South Korea's fertility rate plummeted to a record low of 0.72 in 2023, well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman necessary to sustain the population.

This demographic challenge is exacerbated by South Korea's high life expectancy and late maternal age, with the average age for childbirth standing at 33.6, the highest among OECD nations. Despite the government's efforts, the birth rate continues its downward trend, prompting President Yoon's initiative for a dedicated ministry. His announcement precedes his first press conference in nearly two years, following his party's significant defeat in the recent general elections, underscoring the urgency of addressing the nation's demographic crisis.

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NEWSCRITICISM

Oftentimes, when a Civilization feels existentially threatened because of certain circumstance in the flow of existence, it may feel compelled to respond to that situation in existence that feels appropriate to deal with an existential situation. Such cases, when done improperly, may cause its collapse and fall; if human error prevails and mis- (or un-) cooperation begins to take root, it may hasten or accelerate its fall - and ultimately collapse in on itself, whether internal or external. Numerous cases in history prove such things to be true; and thus shall be an example on how to prevent such foolishness in order to not go forward in the direction of ruin.

Thus, a Civilization, regardless of the situation, in order to prevent its collapse and downfall, needs to respond to these problems and changes, so long as it maintains the existential experience of rationality to and with, the world.

In this case, the situation with South Korea - which has been facing birthrate problems since the 2010's - faces a major civilizational threat to the civilization-state itself; the birthrate decline can (and will, if not tackled properly) lead to societal collapse and the extinction of the Civilization by its own essence in time. The properly calculated idea of establishing a new political-governmental entity to tackle the birthrate problem is a good first step in doing so, PROVIDED the new ministry, if established, shall take condition of the country as a basis; it must cooperate with other political entities to further know the situation and trace the problem - in short, the country needs to reassess its own existence and find out what went wrong with it!

Otherwise, for me, it is a jolly good move for such actions. The South Korean government, by taking its first step, will begin its long proper road (in its experience in existence, for it is a Civilization by itself) towards solving the problem, and increase the civilization's longevity and will to exist in the world.

Joshua Kyle T. Rovero

Estado Rovero

May 10th 2024