{"id":2203787,"date":"2024-02-12T14:59:10","date_gmt":"2024-02-12T05:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203787"},"modified":"2024-07-01T15:09:48","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T06:09:48","slug":"egg-freezing-surge-in-south-korea-signals-deeper-demographic-woes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/02\/egg-freezing-surge-in-south-korea-signals-deeper-demographic-woes\/","title":{"rendered":"Egg-freezing surge in South Korea signals deeper demographic woes"},"content":{"rendered":"
In South Korea, the increasing trend among unmarried women to freeze their eggs serves as yet another signal that reflects deeper concerns about declining birth rates and the pressures of modern life.<\/p>\n
Lim Yoo-ra chose to freeze her eggs when she was 36. Without a romantic partner at the time, she saw egg freezing as a proactive measure to preserve her genetic lineage amid life\u2019s uncertainties.<\/p>\n
Although Lim married a year later and is now the mother of a child whom she conceived without the use of her frozen eggs, she still stands by her decision and continues to recommend the procedure to others.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt like it expanded my life choices as a woman, enhancing my confidence. I\u2019m convinced it was the right move,\u201d Lim said. She remains open to utilizing her frozen eggs for a second child in the future.<\/p>\n
Lim\u2019s choice highlights a growing movement among Korean women to secure their reproductive futures amid economic and societal uncertainties.<\/p>\n
This choice, supported by stories of celebrities and government subsidies, mirrors a broader societal transition toward delayed marriage and childbearing, highlighting the challenges and opportunities this represents for individuals and policymakers alike.<\/p>\n
In recent years, Cha Medical Center, a leading hospital specializing in fertility treatments, has witnessed a dramatic rise in egg-freezing procedures, from 599 in 2019 to 1131 in 2022. This nearly twofold increase is indicative of a wider trend that gained momentum around 2020, coinciding with the global pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe technology has been available for nearly two decades, but the exponential growth began around 2020, during the COVID-19 era,\u201d Han Se-yeol, the head of the Cha University Fertility Center (CUFC) Ilsan, told Korea Pro<\/em>, pointing to an annual caseload of approximately 1,500.<\/p>\n