South Korean government budget and expenditure reports

South Korea Offers $38,000 Per Child Amid 59% C-Section Rate

Sep 8, 2024, 08:46 PM

The South Korean government is taking significant measures to address the country's declining birthrate, which is among the lowest in the wealthy world. In some regions, the government is offering up to $38,000 per child to encourage higher birth rates. One contributing factor to the low birthrate is the high rate of caesarean sections, with 59% of deliveries in South Korea performed this way. This high rate of C-sections is believed to reduce the number of births a woman can have. Comparatively, China's caesarean section rate once reached 47%, which also posed challenges to boosting fertility rates. The prevalence of C-sections in South Korea is partly attributed to financial incentives for doctors. Additionally, sales of dog strollers are outpacing actual baby strollers, highlighting the severity of the issue, according to WSJ.