South Korea faces demographic challenge amid worrying birth rate crisis

South Korea’s population is expected to decline in almost all regions of the country by 2052, except for Gyeonggi Province and the central city of Sejong, due to the chronically low birth rateAs a recent report from the National Statistics Office.

According to the report, the population in 15 of Korea’s 17 provinces and cities is projected to decline by 2052.

The report also noted that all regions except Sejong experienced a higher number of deaths than births in 2022. This city is expected to participate in the trend from 2045. However, Sejong will continue to experience a net influx of population, although its total size could still decline, the agency explained.

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The Government also reported that the average age in South Jeolla Province will reach 64.7 years in 2052, followed by North Gyeongsang Province, with 64.6, while that of Seoul is estimated at 56. 1.

The number of newborns in the country fell below the 20,000 level this year for the first time. The statistics were published by the Government andn amid rising concerns about national demographics, due to the rapidly aging population and ultra-low birth rate.

As a result of this situation, the number of South Koreans under the age of 15, which stood at 5.95 million in 2022, or 11.5 percent of the total population, is expected to fall to 3.61 million in 2052. , or just 7.8 percent. In contrast, the number of older individuals, aged 65 and older, which reached 8.98 million in 2022, or 17.4 percent of the entire population, is estimated to reach 18.86 million, or 40 .8 percent, by 2052.