Kim Jong Un's Emotional Plea: Boost Birthrates for North Korean Women

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on women to have more children to address the country's declining birthrate, which poses challenges to its economy heavily reliant on mobilized labor. The fertility rate in North Korea has steadily declined over the past decade, reaching 1.79 in 2022. The government has introduced benefits for families with three or more children, including housing arrangements, subsidies, and educational perks. Factors contributing to the declining birthrate include financial constraints, the influence of South Korean media, and the aftermath of a famine in the mid-1990s.