In many countries, the birth rate is in free fall and nothing seems to be able to slow down the phenomenon. So, for great ills there are great remedies: this megalopolis has put in place a unique system to shake things up.
Have young people abandoned the desire to be in a relationship and, even more so, to have children? If we know that the younger generation is particularly sensitive to climate change and wants to help the planet, other reasons are added to explain this lack of desire to have babies: inflation, desire for women to have a good professional career , refusal to reproduce a ready-made pattern… But, in this country, this leads to a drastic drop in the birth rate.
Indeed, the trend is alarming: the fertility rate is collapsing year after year, reaching a record figure of only 0.78 children per woman in 2023. Where is that? In South Korea. Thus, in Seoul, love confronts an implacable economic reality. In a country where social pressure, long working hours and the high cost of living punctuate daily life, getting married can seem out of reach for many young couples. However, in a society where union is closely linked to birth rate, the city does not intend to sit idly by.
Because in South Korea, a conservative society, children born out of wedlock remain extremely rare: barely 5% of births, compared to more than 60% of children born to unmarried parents in France! As a result, marriage becomes an essential, but costly, step. In an unprecedented move, Seoul now offers an innovative system including free wedding venues. Around twenty prestigious places, such as the Sejong Center or the museum Buk-Seoulare open free of charge to future spouses.
In addition, financial assistance of 1 million won (around 700 euros) is even planned for the future bride and groom to help them pay for chairs or tables for the big day. The first ceremonies have already taken place, with 70 unions celebrated in 2023. The city hopes to convince more couples over the years. A modest measure, but which clearly illustrates the determination of the authorities to fight against one of the major challenges of South Korean society: the decline in births.
