[Opinion] “Maternity Boycott”

American TV show host Oprah Winfrey, anchor Diane Sawyer and soprano Jessie Norman have one thing in common – they have no children, according to a book about 100 career women entitled “Creating Lives: Career Women and Babies”. Author of the book Sylvia Ann Hwelet concluded that the more successful a woman becomes the fewer children they are likely to have. One of three women who have professional jobs say that they chose not to have a child since it is hard to keep their job when there is a baby to take good care of. But it is also said that many young women come to “boycott” maternity regardless of their ability to make a baby, as they are preoccupied with their work. To men, striking balance between work and home is not that hard. To most of women, however, it is a different story.

We do not have to look far. At least, the birth rate in America began to increase in the late 1980s thanks to the so-called “American citizenship effect”, and many young people continue to flock into the country. Watching vitalization of America, the old continent Europe began to take measures. As former French President Jiscare Destain once noted “a society irresponsible for production of the second generation is like committing a crime”, countries throughout the Europe have provided full support such as subsidies and nurseries for working families. People are a driving force and a hope for the future of a country. Giving birth to and taking care of babies is not just women`s or individual families` job. A country and a society have their roles to play.

This country`s birth rate is one of the world`s lowest, according to a recent survey. And many raise the concern about the declining population. If this trend continues, the number of people living in this country starts to decline in 2023, with the aging and labor shortage problems worsening. There used to be family planning campaigns such as “Two Children Will Do” and “A fine daughter equals to ten sons”. And now they urge women to give birth to many children as if they would take good care of them.

Everyone knows that value of family and the preciousness of babies. Yet, the reality is that women are at a loss after the maternal leave, unable to find a place or a person to take care of their little babies. They also worry if the company lets them go. The government encouragement sounds pathetic, therefore, to most of Korean women who face a catch 22 situation over work and a baby. If a country is the world`s lowest in birth rates, birth-promoting policies must be the world`s best to be effective. If the government, the society and husbands continue to leave the job of taking care of children at the hands of mothers, the maternity boycott is bound to prevail.

Kim Sun-deok, Editorial Writer, yuri@donga.com