During an event held on Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visibly expressed his concern over the country's declining birth rates, wiping away tears in a viral video capturing the emotional moment. At the National Mothers Meeting in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un emphasized the collective responsibility to address the issue, stating, "Preventing a decline in birth rates and good childcare are all of our housekeeping duties we need to handle while working with mothers," as reported by Reuters.
Kim Jong Un underscored the duty of women to counteract the decrease in the country's births, emphasizing its significance in strengthening national power. He expressed gratitude to mothers for their role in enhancing national power, acknowledging their contributions amid the challenges of leading the party and the state.
According to estimates by the United Nations Population Fund in 2023, North Korea's fertility rate, averaging the number of children born to a woman, was reported at 1.79, down from 1.88 in 2014. While the decline is more gradual than that of South Korea, which recorded a fertility rate of 0.78 in 2022, compared to 1.20 in 2014, the issue remains a priority for North Korea.
Historically, North Korea implemented birth control programs in the 1970s and 1980s to control postwar population growth. The country's fertility rate experienced a significant downturn following a mid-1990s famine, estimated to have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, as highlighted in a report by the Seoul-based Hyundai Research Institute in August.
Addressing the challenge, North Korea has introduced incentives for families with three or more children, offering preferential benefits such as free housing arrangements, state subsidies, complimentary essential items, and educational perks for children, according to state media reports this year. The comprehensive effort aims to encourage population growth and support larger families.
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