Putin: "Korea Has a Low Birth Rate Even Without War"; Emphasizes Russia’s Pro-Natalist Policies

[Financial News] Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the need to raise the fertility rate and cited Korea’s low birth rate as a comparison.
According to the TASS Russian News Agency on the 3rd local time, President Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, "It is clear that our current fertility rate is insufficient."
He said, "Compared with the region where we are located—the Far East—it is not the worst situation. Korea’s fertility rate is 0.7, about half of Russia’s, while Japan’s is similar to Russia’s." He added, "But that does not mean we should set that level as our goal."
He continued, "We should aim for better indicators," emphasizing, "At a minimum, we should achieve a fertility rate nationwide equal to that of the Far East, while the Far East should achieve an even higher figure."
Korea’s total fertility rate rose from 0.72 in 2023 to 0.75 in 2024, then increased to 0.80 last year, marking a rise for the second consecutive year. Japan recorded an all-time low of 1.14 last year. Russia’s rate is around 1.37, and the fertility rates in Far Eastern regions such as Sakhalin and Chukotka are reportedly higher than the national average.
Regarding the impact of the war in Ukraine on the population, President Putin argued, "It is true that military conflict has some impact, but it is not the whole story," adding, "Japan and Korea have low fertility rates even though they have not experienced military conflict."
He said, "We will do everything possible to raise Russia’s fertility rate. This is one of our most important tasks." He proposed extending through 2030 a financial support policy for families that have a third child. He also stressed the need to improve child-rearing conditions and support young women.
[email protected] Lee Jeong-hwa Reporter