[Voices of Japanese Parents Abroad_Korea Vol. 4] The Reality of South Korea’s Declining Birthrate

“Just having children around brightens the whole community,” says Satoko, who is raising five children in Haenam, a town in southwestern South Korea. In a country where the birthrate continues to fall at an alarming pace, having and raising children is deeply welcomed at the community level. In this interview, we asked about the on-the-ground realities of South Korea’s demographic crisis.

“Children Are a Treasure to the Community” — Rapid Decline in Birthrate and the Reality in Rural Areas

―Ihear that the declining birthrate is a serious problem in South Korea. What is the situation like in a provincial city like Hainam?

Yes, the declining birthrate is very serious. Many families around me only have one child. Even after getting married, it tends to take a long time before having their first child, and it's common to see older mothers bringing their young children to daycare centers in the city.

In South Korea, there is a strong belief in rural areas that going to Seoul is a sign of success, and young people tend to flock to Seoul. However, people living in Seoul don't have the financial means, so many don't return to their hometowns very often. As a result, there are many grandparents who don't get to see their grandchildren, and I feel that children are a precious commodity in the community as a whole.

My family has five children, and I think the people in our community are very happy about that.

The Fifth Child Made the News — Why the Local Government Came to Celebrate

―Whenyou gave birth to your fifth child, you received a grand celebration from the community. Could you tell us more about the celebration?

After the birth of my fifth child, I spoke with someone from the public health center at the postpartum care center I was using, and that's how the word spread that a Japanese wife had given birth to her fifth child, and I was contacted by the local government.

At the time, I told the public health center staff, "There isn't much support anyway, and I don't intend to continue living in Hainam, so I'm thinking of registering the birth in a different area." Then, the head of Hainam County, the county chief, and the local town head contacted me saying they wanted to come and celebrate.

In the end, the county chief and town head visited my home and celebrated with gifts such as rice, diapers, wet wipes, and rice cakes. This incident was even covered in the local newspaper. The fact that the government went to such lengths to come and celebrate really reinforces the fact that the declining birthrate in Korea is a very serious problem.

Rainbow over Haenam (Photo provided by Satoko)

The Growing Social Issue of “Foreign Wives” in South Korea

—I'veheard that "foreign wives" are becoming a social problem in South Korea. What kind of situation is occurring specifically?

In South Korea, there has been a significant increase in cases where foreign women marry Korean men and give birth. However, there have been cases where foreign wives have fled with the childbirth allowance they received. In addition, some flee after obtaining citizenship, and some even disappear one day, leaving their children behind. Some try to divorce after receiving childbirth allowance and child support, making false accusations such as "I was abused." What is serious is that there are lawyers who have organized support groups for such people.

Because of these problems, it is currently not possible to receive childbirth-related money in a foreigner's name; everything is deposited into an account in the name of the Korean husband. Furthermore, foreign wives cannot create bank accounts for their children. While this may be unavoidable from the perspective of crime prevention, it is a real nuisance for foreign wives like me who are simply married and living normal lives.

Mixing the “Best” of Both Worlds in Raising Children Abroad

―Do you have any advice for people considering raising children abroad?

"Make sure you have an escape route." That means finding someone who will listen to you, someone who will give you advice, and someone who will not just sympathize but also give you good advice. I

also think that raising children abroad has the advantage of being able to "mix" the good aspects of raising children in Japan that you have experienced with the good aspects of raising children in the local area. Looking back on my own experience, moving away from the Japanese culture of "you must never cause trouble" and experiencing a culture like Korea's where "it ends with 'I'm sorry' and moves on with 'it's okay'" was a great opportunity to change my way of thinking.

Children playing in the park (Photo provided by Satoko)

[Overseas Parenting Column - South Korea]
Vol. 1: Giving Birth in South Korea (5 Parts)
Vol. 2: Proper Postpartum Care in South Korea
Vol. 3: Parenting and Education in Rural Areas
Vol. 4: The Reality of South Korea's Declining Birthrate
Vol. 5: Beloved Children in South Korea

Family Dialogue・Column