A Comparative Investigation of China and South Korea's Fertility Encouragement Policies

Abstract

Based on the data released by the United Nations, the population growth rates of China and South Korea are both at extremely low levels, and the population is severely plagued by the trend of aging. At the same time, with the liberation and development of social ideology and the increase of social pressure, the cost of childbirth for young people in the new era is high so their willingness to give birth is low. In this context, the two countries have introduced a series of different policies to encourage childbirth in the past. This article adopts literature and comparative analysis methods to analyze the policies and social backgrounds of encouraging fertility in China and South Korea, from a new perspective, to view the low fertility trap faced by China and South Korea, and provide reasonable response measures. It proposes practical and feasible suggestions for solving the fertility problems in China and South Korea, such as facing the survival difficulties of young people understand the difficult choice between reproductive instincts and individual freedom among young people in the new era. And it will be helpful for the government to implement relevant policies to reduce the pressure on young people's fertility, such as housing prices, supporting educational facilities, and maternity leave. In addition, the concept of gender equality should be implemented throughout the entire process, eliminating explicit and implicit employment discrimination caused by childbirth and gender.