To cope with demographic changes, South Korea needs to work harder to empower women and young people, the chief of the United Nations Population Fund said Tuesday.

“Population dynamics is deeply related to human rights and gender equality,” said Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of the UNFPA on Tuesday.

He was in Korea for two days to forge ties with the government, which is one of the executive board members.

Osotimehin noted that the businesses are still unfriendly to working mothers, holding women back from having more children.

“Korea has managed to successfully practice family planning in a short period of time and now is facing what so-called advanced countries are having,” he said.

“But if the government constantly (pushes) businessmen more and women could devote themselves to balancing their social career and family lives, I am sure they will overcome.”

Korea is struggling with a low birthrate and rapidly aging population, which will place a huge burden on future generations.

He chose Denmark as an example to follow. With the UNFPA’s strategic consultation and nationwide efforts to boost procreation, its birthrate increased from 1.4 births per couple to more than 2.

Osotimehin also stressed that the authorities and society need to listen more to what the younger generation thinks.

“They are the ones that will support the current generation. However, we haven’t put enough time and effort in listening to what they want, what they want to become or think about current things,” he said.

In an effort to reach younger people, Osotimehin held a discussion session with Yonsei University students on Monday.

“They ranged from North Korean issues to teenage pregnancies. They were not particularly sensitive about international affairs, but I am sure that they will grow fond of it,” he said. 

To attract the attention of young people around Asia, the UNFPA is considering appointing K-pop stars as goodwill ambassadors. It would be the first time for the organization to appoint singers to represent it.

“Young people need a strong role model to benchmark. K-pop stars showing a responsible attitude toward life will inspire many,” he added.

The UNFPA has been dedicated to reducing poverty and protecting maternal health, making sure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

At part of its work, the organization has provided North Korea with drugs and essential medical equipment to reduce its maternal death rate, which was 250 per 100,000 in 2008, far higher than many other parts of the world.

“We are persuading the respective governments to prioritize designing health systems; placing and training sufficient human resources; supplying materials; and opening their information about their need,” he said.

“Korea has joined the United Nations in 1990. It is relatively new but it has come this far. I am sure there is more the country has to contribute.”

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)