North Korean Leader Urges Increased Births to Combat Declining Population

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on women to increase the country's birth rate in order to strengthen national power. The fertility rate in North Korea has been declining steadily for the past decade, posing concerns for a country heavily reliant on mobilized labor. Kim made the appeal during the National Mothers Meeting, the first of its kind in 11 years. South Korea's fertility rate is also low, attributed to various factors such as a decaying job market and a male-centered corporate culture. North Korea has implemented benefits for families with three or more children to encourage population growth.