“Low Birthrate Policy Needs Continuity Beyond gov't Changes”[ESF2025]

[Kim Mi-Kyung, Edaily Reporter] “The issue is sustainability. Consistent family support policies are the solution to raising birthrates.”

Willem Adema, Senior Economist at the Social Policy Division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”), recently responded in a video interview with Edaily when asked about the priority measures to overcome South Korea‘s low birth rate. Adema leads a team analyzing family, gender, and housing policies at the OECD Social Policy Division, headquartered in Paris, France.

Willem Adema, Senior Economist at the OECD(ⓒMinistry of Health and Welfare).

He acknowledged the Korean government’s institutional efforts in childcare but stressed, “There must be trust that family policies will remain in place 10 or 15 years from now for people to choose to have children. Policies shouldn’t change drastically every 2 or 3 years.” Stable and consistent policy implementation is paramount.

According to Willem Adema, France, which had a total fertility rate of 1.79 in 2020 and ranks among the highest in the OECD, hhas maintained consistent family policies for decades. In contrast, South Korea’s fertility rate dropped to 0.75 last year, raising alarms about a demographic cliff. As the presidential election nears, Adema’s critique of Korea’s policy swings is especially pointed.

He cited long working hours, high private education costs, and persistent gender discrimination in the workplace as key causes of Korea’s low birthrate. He stated, “Long working hours make work?life balance difficult, contributing to a female employment rate below the OECD average. Moreover, Korea has the largest gender wage gap among OECD countries.”

Adema will deliver his keynote speech at the 16th Edaily Strategy Forum, themed “Overturned Population Pyramid... Seeking Path for ’Axis Shift‘” at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul. Alongside Bronisław Komorowski, former President of Poland, will offer global insights on demographic shifts. On the second day, the Edaily-PERI Special Symposium, hosted in collaboration with the Policy Evaluation Research Institute (PERI), will feature participation from three major U.S. think tanks - Brookings Institution, Urban Institute, and MDRC - presenting policy solutions to the accelerating crisis of local extinction amid low birthrates and aging populations.