South Korea honours two women with civilian medals for each having 13 children

Lee Yeong-mi, 59 and Eom Gye-suk, 60 were honored with medals amid low birth rate in Korea

South Korea’s health and welfare ministry has awarded civilian service medals to two women for giving birth to 13 children each, amid the country’s ongoing struggle with a sharply declining birth rate.

Eom Gye-suk, 60, received the Seongnyu Medal, the fifth grade of the Order of Civil Merit, which recognises outstanding contributions in various fields such as politics, economics, and education. Meanwhile, 59-year-old Lee Yeong-mi was honoured with the Civil Merit Medal for her achievements and public service dedication.

Ms. Eom had five sons and eight daughters between 1986 and 2007. Reflecting on her journey, she said, “After repeating pregnancy and childbirth for over 20 years, there were some difficulties, but thanks to my children who have grown up well, I think I have more happy moments than others.” This was during the awards ceremony held at the Glad Hotel in Seoul on October 10.

Ms. Lee, who had her first child at 23 and her last at 44, noted, “Compared with the 1980s and 2000s when I gave birth and raised my children, there are many policies to support childbirth and childrearing. But when I hear from people around me, there are still many shortcomings.” She emphasized the need for a workplace culture that encourages the use of childcare leave without stigma and additional support for self-employed individuals who lack access to such benefits.

In May, President Yoon Suk-yeol declared the declining birth rate a “national emergency” and announced plans to establish a ministry dedicated to addressing this crisis. South Korea is grappling with a record low fertility rate of 0.78 in 2022, the lowest globally and significantly below the replacement level.

The demographic crisis is attributed to several factors, including frustrations over the rising cost of living, declining quality of life, and a patriarchal society. Many women cite the emotional and physical burdens of raising children, lost career opportunities, and financial challenges as deterrents to childbearing.

To combat the issue, the South Korean government offers financial assistance ranging from 35 million won (£20,566) to 50 million won ($38,373) for families from the birth of a child until they turn seven. Recently, a couple received 170 million won ($125,061) in childbirth grants after welcoming quintuplets.