진행자: 최정윤, Devin Whiting

Clock is ticking, but demographic crisis gets drowned out in presidential race

기사 요약: 이른 대선을 앞두고 대통령 후보들이 여러 공약을 선보였던 가운데, 저출산과 초고령 사회로의 진입 등 한국의 심각한 인구 위기에 대한 공약이 부족하다는 의견 많아

[1] The compounding challenges of South Korea’s low birth rate and the onset of a super-aged society have drawn little focus on the presidential campaign trail for the June 3 presidential election. The numbers alone underscore the urgency of strategically and systemically confronting the demographic crisis.

compounding: 복합적인

onset: 시작

[2] South Korea’s fertility rate was recorded at 0.75 in 2024, meaning the average South Korean woman is expected to have fewer than one child in her lifetime. Still, the country found a sliver of relief in the data, as 2024 marked the first time in nine years that the birth rate had not declined.

sliver: 조각

[3] At the same time, however, the nation officially transitioned into a “super-aged society” in December 2024 — a milestone that arrived earlier than expected.

Observers called for a more holistic approach to devising campaign promises that tackle these demographic challenges, saying the next five years would be crucial to determining the country's fate. They warned that South Korea might otherwise be plagued by a range of social problems: the demise of remote rural areas, a workforce shortage, weaker military strength and a pension fund crisis, among other things.

milestone: 중요한 단계

holistic: 전체적인

plague: 괴롭히다, 성가시게 하다 /전염병

demise: 종말, 죽음

기사 원문: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10492546