• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.43 no.11 s.213
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• pp.165-183
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• 2005

Total fertility rate in South Korea is the lowest in the world. A fertility rate below replacement fertility level will result in serious social problems in the long term. Therefore, it is worthwhile to study a general understanding about the low fertility rate phenomenon and to investigate the effectiveness of fertility policies in order to ameliorate the resulting social problems due to the low fertility rate. This research was a descriptive examination into the low fertility rate phenomenon and an investigation of the needs for fertility potties and their effectiveness. The study subjects were consisted of 769 unmarried people aged from 18 to 40 years old. Data were collected from June to August 2004 and were analyzed by frequencies, mean, and standard deviation. The following results were revealed. First, unmarried people in general had positive perspectives about getting marriaged, giving birth, and being a parent. In addition, the primary cause of low fertility rate was economical difficulties for raising a child. Third, unmarried people thought that the low fertility rate phenomenon resoled in both positive and negative changes in a society. Fourth, policies for economical supports for raising children, establishing social atmosphere for gender equality, and trustful public educational systems were the political alternatives that people really wanted for having a child in the future. Effective alternatives for policies and strategies to address the low fertility rate problems are suggested in the discussion section.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.54-68
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• 1986

This study was designed to make a comparative analysis of fertility control policies in developing countries selected from Asia and Latin America. Considering the size and the density of population, the history of the fertility control policy, and the availability of references, eight countries were chosen among Asian developing countries that have adopted the fertility control as an official policy. All of nine countries in Latin America that have adopted family planning as an official policy were included in this study. An attempt was made to formulate an analytical framework to be used for a comparative analysis of fertility control policies. It can be represented by a continuum which consists of individual approaches and structural approaches to fertility control at both extremes. It represents fairly well the controversies between those who advocate family planning and those who advocate measures beyond family planning, but assumes that the two sides of the controversy form a continuum of approaches to fertility control. Various fertility control policies of each country were placed along this continuum and analyzed. The results of the analysis can be summarized as follows: (a) Those countries that have higher population pressure in terms of either the size of population or the population density tend to adopt fertility control policies earlier in time. (b) Those countries that have higher population pressure in terms of either the size of population or the population density tend to adopt more comprehensive measures along the continuum of fertility control policies. (c) Those countries that adopted more comprehensive measures along the continuum seem to have succeeded in reducing their level of fertility more effectively. (d) Developing countries in Asia tend to adopt more comprehensive measures to control fertility than those in Latin American countries. (e) The reduction of fertility in developing countries seems to be associated with both the fertility control policies and the level of socioeconomic development.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.31-52
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of policies in response to low fertility in Korea. Using a recent nationwide survey on marriage and fertility, this study analyzes the effect of low fertility policies on plan of further birth among young married women according to the number of their children. Awareness of polices in response to low fertility is relatively high, showing the great differences among policy measures. In contrast, the degree of polices in response to low fertility is very low. ranging from 2.0% to 27.6%. The distribution of awareness and experience is different according to the number of children. The results of logistic regression analysis show that awareness of polices in response to low fertility such as economic support, promotion of equality of the sexes significantly affects on plan of further birth. However, this effects disappear when we apply parity specific approach. For example, the plan for first child is quite universal as no difference is found by their awareness of policies in response to low fertility. Similar results are found in married women having plan for second child and third child. With respect to the degree of experience of policies in response to low fertility, the results show that economic support, work-family coexistence, and promotion of equality of the sexes significantly affects the plan of further birth. Like awareness of policies in response to low fertility, these effects disappear as we apply parity specific approach. The results indicate that the effect of policies in response to low fertility differs by the current number of children. Thus, consideration of such difference would help us deepen our understanding of fertility behaviors and polices in response to low fertility.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2009

The Korean Government has recently prepared the comprehensive five-year basic plan (2006-2010) to deal with low fertility and population ageing. The basic plan aims at recovering the fertility rate to the appropriate level and improving the social and economic systems in preparation for the aged society. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of fertility policies on childbirth by birth order. The data came from 1,729 adults who gave birth to babies in 2007 and 991 adults as the control group. The serial logistic regression analyses revealed that establishing the health and nutrition system for maternity and children, and expanding of tax and social insurance benefit were effective policy measures to increase childbirths of first children, while the policy measures establishing the health and nutrition system for maternity and children, supporting for daycare and pre-school education, and work-life balance were effective to childbirths of second or third children in 2007. However, the policies of supporting for costs of test-tube baby and expanding childcare infra didn't have any significant influences on childbirths in 2007. The implications of study results were discussed.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.651-657
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• 2024

This study comparatively analyzed the impact of childcare workforce cost on fertility rates across different countries. In the cases of Nordic countries, comprehensive childcare support policies and subsidies for childcare workforce costs were found to have a positive impact on fertility rates. In contrast, high childcare burden and economic pressures were identified as major factors contributing to declining fertility rates in East Asian countries. In developing countries, the effectiveness of childcare support policies varied depending on the socioeconomic context. This study suggests that the impact of childcare workforce cost on fertility rates manifests in diverse patterns across countries, and effective childcare support policies require tailored approaches that consider each country's specific circumstances. In the future, increased social investment in childcare and the spread of a culture that respects the value of care are necessary.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2021

To develop policies regarding fertility and pregnancy that will be effective in preventing further declines in fertility rates in the context present-day Korea, current policies in Japan were analyzed and compared with those now being implemented in Korea. This study was structured to involve (a) comparison of maternal health projects in Korea and Japan, and (b) comparison of infertility support policies based in regional cities in Korea and Japan. Korea's Health Plan 2030 emphasizes strengthening healthcare for high-risk pregnant women, expanding investments to benefit vulnerable groups, and establishing a support system for infertile couples. In Japan, government programs involving treatment targeting infertility specifically were implemented nationwide in 2006. Wide dissemination of accurate knowledge related to pregnancy is emphasized. Also, counseling centers specializing in infertility were established by 67 local governments. We have confirmed that Korean policies include decentralization, while Japan is implementing the central government's infertility policy uniformly in all regions. Japan also adjusted its policy out of concern that problems related to infertility and childbirth will worsen due to the social disaster of COVID-19. The results indicate that providing additional support for psychological counseling may be preferable to increasing the number of in-vitro fertilization procedures. The physical burden on women may be minimized by benchmarking policies in Japan. Step-by-step application of these procedures should be systematically supported to achieve the best results.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 2004

The fertility rate of Korea has rapidly decreased to the lowest in the World. The fertility rate below replacement fertility level might result in many social problems. First, this study investigated the cause of low fertility rate. Second, the theories of the relationship between fertility rate and women's employment were reviewed. The previous studies suggested that the fertility rate was not always related to women's employment negatively and there was mediating factors between them. Third, the various factors that mediated the negative relationship between fertility rate and women's employment were described in personal, family and social levels. Finally, this study suggested the policies and strategies to solve the low fertility rate problem in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.1-12
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to examine how married women with a child perceived the low-fertility issue in order to increase the success of policy decisions for increasing the fertility rate and to present alternatives. The study subjects were 327 married women with a child who resided in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. After the survey was conducted, the collected data were analyzed with SPSS 11.5 program. The findings of the study were as follows. First, the married women who already had one child found it ideal to have two children. In fact, however, 36.4% had determined not to have another child, and only one parent wanted to have a second child in 26.9%. Second, they took a dismal view of the government's fertility encouragement policies, and they considered it necessary for the government to pursue a more down-to-earth measure. Third, economic aid for child rearing and education was identified as the most critical way to boost the childbirth rate. In conclusion, current national policies aimed at increasing the low-fertility rate are redundant if they are only designed to publicize government action. Actions need to be taken to assist married women in taking better advantage of the existing policies.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.81-101
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to examine support policies regarding work and family reconciliation, to suggest plans to improve workplace policies, and to suggest directions for further studies. This study looks at OECD's work-life reconciliation policies as well as family friendly workplace policies in Korea to find a way to enhance business' receptiveness and implementation of the policies. By examining women's labor conditions, this study finds that family friendly workplace policies are necessarily imminent in our society of low fertility and ageing. Along with the evaluation of benefit level and the effectiveness of current policies, this study uses data from interviews with working mothers who have had the experience of family friendly benefits. The results of the analyses suggest that the government should focus on improving the workplace environment in companies that do not show bias against the use of family friendly policies. In order to farm more successful policies, future studies are needed to analyze the changes of fertility, working conditions, support programs, and benefits.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.337-361
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• 2005

This study seeks the implications for the Korean family welfare policies after examining the characteristics of fertility rates and family welfare policies of advanced OECD countries, and comparatively analyzing the fertility rates among clusters of countries having similar family welfare policies. The fertility rates of most advanced OECD countries declined below the population replacement level in the 1970s, and continuously declined slowly after that period. But in the 1990s the fertility rate of some countries increased, on the other hand that of other countries declined. Such a difference of fertility rates suggests that there is some correlation between the fertility rate and the family welfare policy of each country. Advanced countries became concerned about the decline of fertility rate, established the government Population Issues Committee in order to deal with population problems, and increased family welfare supports. But the level and pattern(focusing on maternal employment supports or child-rearing supports) of each country's family welfare policies are differently developed according to its political ideology, cultural and historical background, and economic environments. A comparative assessment of the fertility rate among clusters of countries having similar family welfare policies demonstrates that the higher the level of family welfare supports is and the level of maternal employment supports in comparison with that of maternal child-rearing supports is, the higher of fertility rate is. And a comparative assessment of the fertility rate changes among clusters of countries also shows that the higher the level of family welfare supports is and the level of maternal employment supports in comparison with that of maternal child-rearing supports is, the higher the increase of fertility rate is or the lower the decrease of fertility rate is. The implications for the Korean family welfare policies are summarized as follows. First, it is necessary to establish the government Population Issues Committee which can study systematically fertility rates and population problems, and provide comprehensive population measures. Second, family welfare supports should be expanded through the establishment of family allowances, the prolongation of maternity leave and child-care leave and the upward readjustment of child-care leave benefits, and the extension of public child-care facilities. Third, maternal employment supports such as public child-care facilities and maternity leave should be given more weight than maternal child-rearing supports such as family allowance. Fourth, it is required to prepare social environments which can provide the youth with the hope that child-rearing is not difficult and gives them happiness.