Social Awareness of Population Issues and Its Implications

Abstract

With its total fertility rate remaining consistently below 1.3 since 2001, Korea is facing the serious issue of rapid population decline. Using data from the “2020 Survey of Public Perception and Values toward Policy Responses to Low-fertility and Aging Society”, this article examines the perceptions people have of the issue of rapid population decline and discusses what might cause a future demographic cliff and what should be done to prevent it. Results from the survey revealed that respondents found their lives affected more by the growth of the elderly population that by declining births (low fertility). Respondents also saw policies on the aging population as having more impact on their lives than policies on low fertility. Population decline and population concentration in the metropolitan region were generally perceived as “sort of social problems.”Based on these results, this article proposes to implement continuous monitoring and review of population changes and to work toward raising the quality of life for people by building, with a balanced policy mix of mitigation and adaptation, the basis for life-cycle care and income support.