The 2023 Outlook for Population Policy

Abstract

The decrease in the number of births, the natural decrease in the population, and the aging of the population are important social phenomena that affect every sector of Korean society. Policy intervention is essential in a situation where changes in the population structure and size are becoming fixed and even exacerbated. This article summarizes the demographic changes and changes in population policy in Korea and suggests directions for future population policy. The year 2023 is a critical time to reorganize and adjust the population policy. It is necessary to implement policies systematically and flexibly so that priorities can be set, adjusted and modified in line with the trends in demographic structure and the scale of socioeconomic shocks. Population policy for 2023 should be implemented effectively by specifying the new government’s five population strategies within the paradigm of the 4th Low Fertility and Aging Society Basic Plan to prepare for a shrinking society with a declining and aging population.