Antinatalist challenges to Korean pronatalism

Lee’s feature article1 critically examines East Asian pronatalist policies from an ethical perspective, with a particular focus on South Korea. The article effectively argues that Korean pronatalist policies aggravate fundamental social injustices and reduce women to mere means. While I broadly agree with Lee’s argument, this commentary addresses a crucial oversight: the antinatalist intuition that ‘it would be better not to be born’. I will argue that establishing an ethics of pronatalism in South Korea (and beyond) requires respectful engagement with such moral judgements, even if we do not ultimately accept them.

Some choose not to have children primarily due to economic constraints. For these individuals, whose decision is prudent, state financial incentives may be appropriate. However, a recent survey2 by the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy of South Korea reveals more complex motivations. According to a September 2024 survey of childless respondents, the…

Read the full article ›