Who Gets Blamed for a Shrinking Nation? Demographic Anxiety and Gendered Blame in South Korea

South Korea has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, raising concerns about the country's economic future and the sustainability of its ageing society. Dr Kweon's presentation examined how public anxiety about demographic decline influences attitudes towards women, particularly as political rhetoric increasingly presents childbirth as a national responsibility.

Drawing on findings from a survey experiment involving 2,500 South Korean adults, Dr Kweon showed that although people generally attributed declining fertility to structural problems such as economic insecurity and inadequate government policies, demographic anxiety could nevertheless generate more negative attitudes towards women, particularly highly educated women. The presentation highlighted the risks of political rhetoric that portrays childbearing as a civic duty and places responsibility for demographic decline on women's individual choices.

The seminar attracted a good turnout of staff and students, who contributed insightful questions and discussion about the wider implications of the research for South Korean society and government policy.

We thank Dr Kweon for sharing her fascinating research with the Centre for Korean Studies community.