Comparative Analysis of Perceptions on Marriage, Childbirth, and Parenting in Germany and Korea

Abstract

This article compares perceptions of Germans and Koreans regarding several themes—including ‘marriage, childbirth, and gender roles,’ ‘division of housework and childcare responsibilities,’ and ‘demographic shifts, social structure, and policies’—and draws implications for population policies in Korea, using data from the Survey of Perceptions on Marriage, Childbirth, and Childcare, conducted in 2024 of 2,500 individuals from each of five selected countries. Both the prevalence of fertility intentions and the desired number of children were lower among Koreans than among Germans. Koreans also perceived greater difficulty balancing work with family responsibilities such as housework and childcare. Germans were more aware than Koreans of available childbirth and childcare support programs. Perceived levels of social trust and fairness were higher among Germans, while Koreans were more likely to agree on the need for improving social institutions overall. These findings suggest that policy measures intended to respond to low birthrates should be designed so that their impact is felt more broadly by the public. Furthermore, institutional support is essential to help individuals make full use of programs aimed at promoting work-family balance. It is also crucial that, when charting policy directions, widely held public perceptions and social values be taken into account, as they may influence individuals’ decisions about family formation and childbirth.