South Korea's 0.72 Birth Rate and the Economy of Loneliness

The Demographics Podcast with Fexingo: Aging Populations, Birth Rates, and Economic Impact · May 21, 2026 · 10m · transcript

South Korea's total fertility rate has fallen to 0.72 — the lowest in the world. In this episode of The Demographics Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how a hyper-competitive education system, crushing housing costs, and a rigid corporate culture have created a demographic crisis. They break down the specific feedback loops: each year of delayed marriage reduces lifetime fertility by roughly 5 percent, and nearly half of Korean women in their 30s have never married. They also look at the policy responses — from cash bonuses to subsidised fertility treatments — and why none have lifted the…