By Kim Cheong-won Staff Reporter
More than 10 trillion won ($10 billion) will be invested in a package of measures to bolster the nation’s dropping birthrate and stem the impact of an aging population, the health authorities said Friday.
``The government has been setting up various measures to boost the low birthrate since February and the presidential commission for aging and low fertility, to be set up next month, will come up with the final outcome,’’ said Kim Sang-hee, an official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Kim explained that approximately 10 trillion won will be needed through 2009 to implement the measures.
Beginning next year, time off from work for up to 45 days will be guaranteed in the event of a miscarriage or stillbirth. The government will cover the wages of female workers who leave their workplaces for 90 days after giving birth, the official said.
Currently, 60 days’ wages are covered by employers, while the rest of the 30 days are paid by the government.
up to 45 days, the ministry said.
According to the new measures, households with more than two children will receive greater incentives, including financial support for childbirth, childcare and education.
Families having two or three children will be given a 12 to 18-month bonus period in the national pension system so that they can receive greater pension benefits.
Municipal and provincial authorities currently provide 300,000 won to 500,000 won to families giving birth to their third child.
``We will cooperate with the private sector to promote childbirth,’’ the official said.
South Korea, which once leaped from rags to riches over a very short time thanks to an abundant and highly skilled labor force, is now faced with one of the world’s fastest aging populations.
The country’s birth rate fell to a record-low 1.19 in 2003, dropping far below the rate of 2.83 calculated 20 years ago.
The figure is the lowest level compared to other members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that have long been struggling to cope with the chronic problem of a low fertility rate.
The government aims to raise the total fertility rate to 1.6 by 2010 to cope with a rapidly increasing elderly population.
The rate is the average number of babies born per woman aged between 15-49.
Experts say a total fertility rate of higher than two is necessary for a country to maintain its current population level.
The National Statistical Office (NSO) calculates that by 2019, Korea will become an ``aged society,’’ meaning people over the age of 65 will account for 14 percent of the total population.
By 2016, one out of five Koreans will be over 65, the NSO said, turning the nation into a ``super-aged society.’’
The institution also expects the total population of the country to decrease to 42.35 million in 2050 from the current 48.29 million if the low birthrate persists.
kcw@koreatimes.co.kr
