Foreword (August 2025, Health and Welfare Policy Forum)

Abstract

In Korea, where the total fertility rate remains at 0.75 in 2024—again, the lowest in the world—low-birthrate trends are increasingly becoming a structural crisis rather than a temporary phenomenon. Meanwhile, public perceptions are rapidly changing regarding marriage, childbirth, and childcare, revealing the need to reassess the validity of existing policies and reorient general policy directions. In response to these circumstances, the August issue of Health and Welfare Forum presents findings from the Survey on Marriage, Childbirth, and Childcare, which was conducted online with 2,500 men and women aged 20 to 49 in each of Germany, Japan, Sweden, and France, and compares these findings with results from the same survey administered in Korea. The survey examines perceptions across four key themes: marriage, childbirth, and gender roles; the division of responsibilities for housework and childcare; demographic shifts and society; and population policies and government spending. Going beyond simple cross-country comparisons of perceptions, our discussion places the sociocultural landscape and policy environment into perspective, exploring the limitations and potential of Korean society and drawing implications for future population policies. What makes our survey significant is that its findings, derived from the same questionnaire, allow for robust cross-country comparisons and, as such, can contribute not only to the diagnosis of trends but also to evidence-based policymaking. Efforts must continue in this direction, with regular implementation of cross-country surveys like the one on which we base our discussion, to monitor changing public perceptions and ensure that Korea’s policy orientation stays aligned with international trends.