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No kids allowed - 2nd August 2023

South Korea’s birth rate of 0.78 per woman is the lowest in the world. The government's spending billions of dollars to encourage higher birth rates. However, the numbers continue to decline.

Yong Hye-in suggests that this trend may be due to a mix of social and economic factors in the country's capital, Seoul.

Yong Hye-in: "(The male-dominated government) wants to boost birth rates and are scared the low birth rate will lead to a disappearing South Korea. But they also prefer it if the noisy, difficult and painful process of raising a child be done separately, somewhere out of sight, on a remote island."

In Seoul, many 'No Kids Zones' have emerged, which reflects the belief that children shouldn’t be seen or heard in public. Yong Hye-in, a new mother, experienced this firsthand when she was banned from entering her favourite places with her baby. This raises concerns about how family friendly the country is.

Yong Hye-in: "I had now become this person who could be so easily rejected — at places like restaurants, cafes, bars and movie theatres. I felt like I had been expelled from society. I remember crying so much on my way home."

'No Kids Zones' are on the rise all over Seoul. The main reasons behind them are noise reduction and inattentive parents. The National Assembly, where Yong Hye-in works is included, it lacks maternity leave. As leader of the Basic Income Party, she believes addressing inequality, the gender pay gap and social issues around parenthood is vital to solve South Korea's declining birth rate. Without action, this crisis will persist. Lawmakers must handle these concerns to create a more inclusive and supportive society for families. Otherwise, South Korea’s birth rate will keep falling.