Trend Socio-economic shocks from falling births, rapid ageing and regional population imbalance are materialising

Summary

The plan states that the socio-economic shock of demographic change has begun in earnest in Korea. It identifies a steep fall in the number of births, very fast population ageing and an accelerating imbalance of population between regions as the drivers. Demographic change is said to affect not only welfare, education and employment but also the economy, industry and national defence. For that reason the plan argues that a piecemeal approach cannot succeed. It singles out population concentration in the capital region as a threat to the very survival of some local governments.