Analysis on Population Policies of OECD Countries in the Context of Low Fertility : Case of U.S. and U.K.

Abstract

Since the fertility rate has too rapidly declined in Korea, we needed to benchmark the policies of which the other OECD countries have undergone long the low fertility phenomenon. However, we cannot adopt the other countries' policies as themselves because the demographic transition and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds are different from one country to another. In such a context, this study aimed at analysing the demographic phenomena and their association with socio-economic situations, identifying the goals and approaches of policies with regard to the population change in U.S. and U.K., through which this study made attempts to suggest the policy implications for the future directions of population policy in Korea. The main findings and policy implications can be summarized as follows; Firstly, the fertility rates of both U.S. and U.K. has been maintained approximately at the replacement level, although they reached the lowest level of 1.6~1.7 for a short period in the past. Even with favorable demographic conditions, both countries have made efforts to continuously improve the social systems for better environments for child-rearing. Secondly, the population policy of U.S. and U.K. have been dependable on fertility whereas the role of immigration has been confined to accommodate the lack of labor force. It implies that immigration cannot be effective in improving the imbalance of population structure in the long term. Thirdly, U.S. and U.K. have reinforced the systems for work-life balance in accordance with socio-cultural changes such as increase in dual-income families, unwed childbearing and divorces. It can be implied that the work-life balance needs to achieve not only demographic goals such as increase in fertility rate but also socio-economic goals. Lastly, the social polices for various types of families including unwed childbearing and unwed mothers have been strengthened at the aims of demographic achievement in U.K. and social welfare in U.S. In this regard, any type of families should be respected and protected equally for the demographic and social welfare aspects in the Korean context.