Two-pronged approach needed to counter low birthrate

Reference

The Chosun Ilbo (2009, Nov 26). Two-pronged approach needed to counter low birthrate. Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition): Daily News in English about Korea.  Retrieved December 01, 2010, from http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/11/26/2009112600651.html

Summary

             In this article, the author says that Korea has come up with a problem of low birthrate (1.22 children per woman) because of financial difficulty. Korean people think child-rearing costs much money, so that they will come to a lack money after retirement. That is, child-rearing expenses and fears of financial difficulty after retirement prevent people from having more children. However, Korea still doesn’t have beneficial welfare programs, while advanced countries offer effective welfare benefits. Therefore, the Korean government needs to consider not only easing childcare costs but also a welfare program for senior citizens.

Reaction

              Through this article, I can learn that the Korean government should focus on easing childcare costs and increasing welfare programs for senior citizens in order to boost the birthrate. Actually, many people recently don’t want to have children, especially more than two children because child-rearing costs much money, and people find it difficult to save the money for the future.  However, children are very important assets in our society because they can make the economy stable in the future rather than cost much money. If the birthrate decreases continuously, economically active population also declines and then economic condition will not be comfortable in the end. Moreover, people who support senior citizens will be needed. It is much more difficult financially for people to retire. Although child-rearing costs much money in the short-term, bringing up children is the most effective way in the long-term. I think that children are like a reliable insurance for the future. Therefore, theKorean government should support people’s having more children by offering welfare benefits.

Koreans Remain Wary of Adoption

Reference

The Chosun Ilbo (2010, May 12). Koreans Remain Wary of Adoption. Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition): Daily News in English about Korea.  Retrieved November 17, 2010, from http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/05/12/2010051201194.html

Summary 

             In this article, the author talks about cautious situation of Korean adoptions. Korea has encouraged domestic adoptions instead of international adoptions. As a result, domestic adoptions have come to outnumber international adoptions in 2007. However, the number of adopted children in Korea still has not increased much. Moreover, adoptive parents tend not to adopt disabled children, so handicapped children are still adopted from other countries.

Reaction

             As I prepared my article presentation about Korean adoptees in Minnesota a few days ago, I was interested in Korean adoptions because adoption is also related to my major, child welfare. Through this article, I can learn that Korea has promoted domestic adoptions. I also think domestic adoptions are better than international adoptions. If children are adopted from other countries, they can feel confused because they have to adjust to different people, cultures and languages. So I think our society needs to encourage domestic adoptions in order to reduce this problem. Also, we should not choose adoptees according to children’s gender, blood type and background of birth parents. It can offend potential adopted children’s mind rather than make domestic adoptions increase. In conclusion, I believe the most important thing is to embrace adoptees with an open mind in order to increase domestic adoptions.

Drastic Measures Needed to Help Women Join the Workforce

Reference

The Chosun Ilbo (2010, July 06). Drastic Measures Needed to Help Women Join the Workforce. Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition): Daily News in English about Korea.  Retrieved November 02, 2010, from http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/07/06/2010070600822.html

Summary

             In this article, the author says that Korean society needs to help women, especially women who have children, participate in the economic activity. In Korea, rate of women in economic activity has fallen since 2006 because women still come up against some difficulties such as discrimination from men and child rearing. However, the decrease in female workforce can weaken the level of economic growth. Therefore, Korean society has to consider creative measures in order to boost the female labor including public daycare centers for children and paying for childcare that  makes men to share child rearing and housework.  In short, the author says these measures help to boost female employment as well as to solve the low birthrate problem.

Reaction

             Through this article, I can learn that many women are still facing some problems related to economic activity in Korea because of child rearing. Actually, as I have studied child welfare, I was worried about employed women because it is difficult for women to work tasks both in the company and home. However, this female workforce is very important to grow economic level. If women are left at home in order to rear their children, our economic participation rate will decline and our economic condition will be depressed. Also, if women want to work in the society, they may not want to have children. It can cause a decrease in population. That is, the vicious circle will be repeated. Therefore, I think the most important thing is finding ways to boost female workforce as in this article. For example, our society is required to build a lot of daycare centers in which some people take care of the children while their mothers work in the company. Moreover, men need to share child rearing and housework with the children’s mother. I believe more women can take part in economic activity in these ways.

Protect children by preserving the future

Reference

Jamie Calabrese & Jenna Mehnert (2010, October 28). Protect children by preserving the future – Editorial Columns, Centre Daily Times. Retrieved October 28, 2010, from  
http://www.centredaily.com/2010/10/28/2300556/protect-children-by-preserving.html

Summary

            

In this article, the authors say that we need to protect children from abuse by having each role. Many children are still abused by violence. As a result, they have some problems such as school failure, chronic health conditions and so on. These children need not our anger but effective ways to protect them directly. According to the article, it is important that we have a role in each position as parents, community members, voters and the next governor. In short, the authors say we have to consider the responsibility to protect the children and help them to grow up healthy.

Reaction

            

I’m interested in reading articles about children, because my major is child welfare. So I have studied many things about children for 3years. Every time I study my major, child welfare, I can feel that children face some problems about abuse. As in this article, many children experience child abuse. However, our society still wasn’t provided fundamental solutions. Before child abuse came up to the surface, no one tried to act to protect children. But, after child abuse is at issue, people try to struggle to solve the problem. In other words, we have to consider not only treatment but also prevention. Also, as the student who learns about child welfare, I think we have to find effective ways of child protection such as creative programs for children. As we know from title of this article, children are very important assets for the future because they have abilities to lead the future. Through this article, I can think once more how necessary it is to have the specific protection for children.