Provincial government leaders are proposing policies to address low fertility rates

JEJU, South Korea, May 31 (Yonhap) – On Friday, provincial heads of government proposed various development policies for their cities as a potential solution to the country’s rapidly aging population coupled with a low fertility rate.

The remarks were made during a session on global branding policy in the context of globalization at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, an annual international peace forum held on the southern island of Jeju, in the resort town of Jeju. The session was hosted by Yonhap News TV.

“Global city branding is expected to be a good solution for the revitalization of local cities,” said Seong Ghi-hong, CEO and president of Yonhap News Agency, during opening remarks of the session.

South Korea’s total fertility rate, or the average number of children a woman is expected to bear in her lifetime, hit a record low of 0.72 in 2023, one of the lowest in the world.

North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo stressed the importance of regional integration in solving the problem of low birth rate.

“The main reason for the low birth rate is its concentration in the wider Seoul area. To prevent this from happening, regional areas need to have good schools, medical facilities and cultural facilities like those in the area,” Lee said.

North Jeolla Province Governor Kim Kwan-young stressed that his province is the “testing ground for South Korea’s future”, vowing to lead the country through his province.

“North Jeolla Province has been known by its name for 128 years, but it was renamed North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province on January 18 this year,” Kim said.

(Yonhap)