[Insight & Opinion] Investment Needed in Childbirth, Childcare, and Education Infrastructure, Not Cash Support

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Amid criticism that hundreds of trillions of won have been poured in without increasing the birth rate, the total fertility rate for the fourth quarter of 2023 has once again set a record at 0.65. At the same time, a local government proudly announced that it would provide 100 million won in childbirth support funds until the age of 18.

Raising support funds competitively as a childbirth policy seems very irresponsible. First, it is unclear whether the support money is intended to encourage women who have been reluctant to give birth to decide to have children, to assist parents who have already planned to give birth, or to persuade people to move to their local government before giving birth. Instead of arbitrarily increasing the number of support items and raising the funds, it is necessary to determine which support items can directly enhance the national birth rate.

Looking at the details, the amount of money that can be received until the age of 18 reaches 100 million won, including pregnancy vouchers, first meeting coupons, child allowances, parental benefits, childcare fees, meal costs, education expenses, transportation expenses for pregnant women, and dream allowances. While it is better than nothing, it is unlikely that a few won like this would determine the decision to give birth.

There are many elderly parents around who are speechless and frustrated seeing their children indefinitely delay or give up marriage, or live as DINK (Double Income No Kids) couples even after marriage. There are also many highly educated women who have paused their careers to devote themselves to childcare after childbirth. It is said that children shed tears when they see a scene in a children's musical where a mother gave up her dreams to raise her child. Overall, it is a reality where it is difficult both to get married and to have and raise children. Money alone cannot be the solution. It is not that children are not born because there is no money, nor that children are born comfortably because there is money.

Those responsible for childbirth and population policies must carefully examine what activities children and parents engage in and what difficulties they face throughout the childbirth, childcare, and education processes according to region, economic level, and educational level. To decide on marriage, housing and jobs must be resolved; even after marriage, there can be difficulties conceiving despite efforts; after childbirth, it is hard to find reliable and qualified childcare helpers needed at each growth stage, and trustworthy daycare centers are also difficult to find. Full-day care is not just care but someone must be responsible for development in language, cognition, physical, and emotional areas. Social childcare infrastructure and institutional support must come first, not cash support.

Instead of increasing support funds for various items, focus should be on support directly related to childbirth. Since housing is the biggest obstacle, policies supporting housing acquisition for newlyweds and those who have given birth should be strengthened and expanded. Medical support to increase childbirth, including infertility treatment, should also be increased.

There is a TV program called "High School Teen Moms." It tells the story of young parents who face difficulties raising children after interrupting their studies due to pregnancy during high school. Support should be provided not only for children born to married couples in Korea but also for saving lives born on this land regardless of the parents' circumstances, such as unmarried, North Korean defectors, Joseonjok, and immigrants. Children left in baby boxes or sent for overseas adoption must be embraced.

Instead of scattering large sums of money in small amounts to increase the birth rate, focus should be on creating infrastructure and systems that make it not difficult to give birth and raise children. Especially for people to settle in rural areas, not only jobs but also medical, childcare, and educational infrastructure must be in place. The vicious cycle of leaving because life is hard and the region disappearing must be broken.

Kim Hong-jin, CEO of Work Innovation Lab

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