Global Family Forum highlights traditional family values amid Korea's population crisis
Korea's traditional extended-family culture could help address the country's low birthrate and deepening population crisis, according to experts and civil society leaders at the 2026 Global Family Forum in Seoul. The forum, hosted by the Federation for Korean Families, was held Saturday at the Textile Center in Seoul. Held under the theme, "The Population and Family Crisis and the Value of Korean…
The 2026 Global Family Forum in Seoul addressed Korea's population crisis through the lens of traditional family values. The Federation for Korean Families hosted the event, which gathered around 600 attendees from 180 organizations, academics, experts, and policymakers. Despite the forum's theme centered on the population and family crisis, with a focus on transitioning towards a family-friendly society, experts emphasized that financial assistance alone would not suffice.
Participants stressed the need for a social and cultural environment that fosters favorable attitudes towards marriage, childbirth, and family formation. Korea's total fertility rate reached 0.80 in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of increase, yet it still ranks among the lowest in the OECD.
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