North Korean Leader Urges Increased Births to Combat Declining Population

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on women to have more children to address the country's declining birthrate, which has been steadily decreasing for the past decade. The low birthrate is a concern for North Korea, as it relies on mobilized labor to support its struggling economy. South Korea's government estimates that North Korea's fertility rate was 1.79 in 2022, down from 1.88 in 2014. The decline in birthrate is attributed to factors such as economic challenges, limited childcare assistance, and a male-centered corporate culture. North Korea has introduced benefits for families with three or more children to incentivize childbirth.