Submitted 9 months ago by throws_lemy@lemmy.nz to globalnews@lemmy.zip
https://www.ft.com/content/444a637b-9712-475b-8c14-9b147f4ff244
South Korea has beaten its own record once again. The country has registered a new low in its already faltering birth rate. The rate for 2023 was just 0.72. This is an unprecedented number in the global community (the average for OECD countries was 1.58 in 2021).
Archive archive.ph/JwmHJ
Just before reading this I read about the North South Korean Supreme Court jailing a conscientious objector to military service since he played violent video games and thus clearly adhered to the ideology of violence after all.
I completely understand the average Korean not wanting to throw innocent people into a system that… Let’s just generally say they’re “not optimal for human existence”.
In that case you read only the clickbait headline. The actual reason was that he was unable to show he had ever shown a shred of interest in being anti war.
Perhaps I was exposed to a clickbaity title and didn’t bother to read, but I seem to remember it differently. What do you think after reading the excerpt below?
However, in this case, the court noted that the defendant had never volunteered for any anti-war charities or protests. Perhaps more damningly, however, the court also pointed out that "the defendant admitted that he frequently enjoyed playing the game [PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds].
Despite acknowledging that PUBG takes place “in a virtual reality,” the cut-throat nature and gun-related violence of the hit battle royale game was seen by the court to somewhat undermine the defendant’s claim that they would be objecting on moral grounds: “The fact that the defendant […] enjoys such [a] game makes the court question whether his conscientious objection is authentic.”
Koreans legislated themselves out of existence?
This is a good thing.
If they think it’s a bad thing, they can make immigration easier.
Just In time for advance automation to kick in?
A biosphere that becomes unlivable is an emergency. The biggest and root cause of catastrophic anthropogenic climate change is human overpopulation:
The fact that the biggest and root cause of a mass extinction event is being reduced is not an emergency, it’s good.
Please do not give them ideas.
Stern@lemmy.world 9 months ago
Shocking no one, adopting Japan’s WORKWORKWORK culture negatively impacts birth rate. Surprised we arent hearing more about a SK version of Karoshi.
ImplyingImplications@lemmy.ca 9 months ago
Although a heavy work culture doesn’t help, all developed nations have low birthrates. As quality of life increases, so does cost of living, and by extension, the cost of having children.
Most developed nations import young adults from countries with low cost of living and high birth rates to offset their low birthrates. This is where South Korea and Japan are similar. Both would rather deal with population collapse than allow immigrants into the country.
feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world 9 months ago
Well they have the highest suicide rates now, aside from some little Pacific islands. Much higher than Japan.