South Korea declares ‘demographic national emergency’

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday declared a "demographic national emergency" amid a low birth rate and an aging population in the East Asian country.

Announcing the demographic national emergency, President Yoon vowed to make all-out efforts to tackle the country's ultralow birth rate, Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported.

"Today, I officially declare a demographic national emergency. We will activate a pan-government comprehensive response system until the low birth rate issue is overcome," the news agency quoted Yoon as saying.

South Korea is facing low birth rates and aging populations as the country recorded a fresh low total fertility rate of 0.72 last year.

According to a report, South Korean couples avoid starting a family and having children for several reasons, including the high cost of housing, education, and long working hours.

However, President Yoon promised to take concrete steps such as increasing parental leave allowances, extending leave for fathers, implementing flexible work hours, and easing the educational burden on parents.