韓國的生育率極低，已成為當代人口學最令人震驚的案例之一。根據牛津大學人口學教授大衛・科爾曼（David Coleman）於2023年的預測，若現有趨勢不變，到2750年，世界上最後一位韓國人將會「消失」。雖然這個預測帶有強烈的象徵意味，但其背後所反映的，是韓國人口結構正在急遽崩塌的嚴峻現實。

2023年，韓國的新生兒人數僅為23.5萬人，遠低於死亡人數35.2萬人，淨減少人口高達11.7萬，顯示自然人口已呈現負成長。而在更早的2006年，日本的總和生育率尚維持在1.3，意大利也有1.35，但韓國當時已下滑至1.1。到了2023年，日本與意大利雖仍在下降，但分別維持在1.26與1.24，韓國卻僅剩0.78，成為全球生育率最低的國家。

這個數字代表的意涵十分驚人。若不考慮移民等外部人口補充機制，0.78的生育率將導致韓國人口每30年減半。依此推算，到2100年，韓國人口可能萎縮至2000萬人左右；而若延續至下個世紀末，甚至可能跌破500萬。如此劇烈的人口縮減，不僅是社會結構的變動，更有可能影響到國家主權、經濟可持續性乃至國家存亡。

至於為何韓國人生育意願極低，原因十分複雜且多重交織。首先是經濟壓力。韓國年輕人面臨高學歷競爭、高房價與高育兒成本，結婚與生育對他們來說，不再是人生的必然選項，而是沉重的負擔。此外，韓國職場文化仍舊保有男性主導色彩，女性在職場難以兼顧家庭與事業，即使結婚生子，也往往需為家庭犧牲職涯發展，這使得越來越多女性選擇不婚不育。

教育競爭也是一大關鍵因素。在韓國，孩子的教育成本高得驚人，家長為讓子女在「地獄朝鮮」般的升學制度中脫穎而出，須投入龐大資源與時間，這無疑抑制了生育的意願。

面對這場生存危機，韓國政府多年來提出多項鼓勵生育政策，例如提供育兒津貼、補助托兒所、產假保障、育嬰休假等，但收效有限。原因在於這些措施多流於表面，未能觸及根本問題，如職場性別平等、居住正義、教育改革與工作與生活的平衡。即使政府提供金錢補助，年輕人仍覺得現實環境無法支撐育兒生活，進而選擇放棄生育。

除了韓國，未來面臨「人口消失」風險的國家還包括日本、義大利、西班牙等歐亞先進國家，這些國家皆具有高齡化嚴重、生育率低落、移民政策保守的共通特徵。若無重大政策轉向或人口流入，這些國家也可能在未來兩三個世紀內面臨人口規模萎縮至無法支撐國家運作的危機，最終導致「人口滅國」的情境。

總體而言，韓國的生育率危機不只是人口數字的問題，更是文化、經濟、性別與制度的多重交錯。除非從根本上重塑一個適合養育下一代的社會結構，否則，這個曾是亞洲經濟奇蹟的國家，極有可能成為人類歷史上第一個因人口崩潰而逐漸衰亡的現代國家。

South Korea's extremely low birth rate has become one of the most alarming cases in contemporary demography. According to a 2023 projection by David Coleman, a professor of demography at the University of Oxford, if current trends persist, the last Korean person in the world could "disappear" by the year 2750. While this prediction is highly symbolic, it underscores the stark reality of South Korea's rapidly collapsing population structure.

In 2023, the number of newborns in South Korea was only 235,000, significantly lower than the 352,000 deaths recorded that year, resulting in a net population decline of 117,000. This indicates that natural population growth has turned negative. Back in 2006, Japan’s total fertility rate was 1.3 and Italy’s was 1.35, but South Korea’s had already fallen to 1.1. By 2023, Japan and Italy had dropped slightly to 1.26 and 1.24 respectively, while South Korea’s rate plummeted to just 0.78—the lowest in the world.

The implications of this figure are staggering. Without considering immigration or other external demographic supplements, a fertility rate of 0.78 would mean South Korea’s population would halve every 30 years. Based on this trajectory, by 2100, South Korea's population could shrink to around 20 million, and by the end of the next century, it may fall below 5 million. Such a dramatic population contraction could fundamentally alter the social structure, threaten national sovereignty, undermine economic sustainability, and even put the country’s very existence at risk.

The reasons behind South Koreans’ low willingness to have children are complex and multifaceted. Foremost among them is economic pressure. Young people in South Korea face intense academic competition, soaring housing prices, and high childcare costs. For many, marriage and childbirth are no longer life milestones but burdens to be avoided. Additionally, South Korea's male-dominated workplace culture makes it difficult for women to balance family and career. Even for those who do marry and have children, career sacrifices are often inevitable, leading many women to forgo marriage and motherhood altogether.

Education pressure is another key factor. The cost of raising a child in South Korea is extraordinarily high, as parents pour immense resources and time into helping their children survive the grueling school system often referred to as "Hell Joseon." This has undoubtedly discouraged many from starting families.

In response to this existential crisis, the South Korean government has introduced numerous pro-natalist policies over the years, including childcare subsidies, daycare support, parental leave protections, and paid maternity/paternity leave. However, the results have been limited. These measures often scratch only the surface and fail to address deeper structural issues such as workplace gender inequality, housing insecurity, rigid educational systems, and the lack of work-life balance. Even with financial incentives, many young people still feel that the reality of raising a child in Korea is unsustainable, and choose to remain childless.

Beyond South Korea, other countries at risk of “population disappearance” in the coming centuries include Japan, Italy, and Spain—advanced Eurasian nations with common features such as severe aging, low fertility rates, and conservative immigration policies. Without major policy shifts or population inflows, these nations could also face a demographic collapse severe enough to jeopardize national operations, potentially leading to what some term a "demographic extinction."

In conclusion, South Korea’s fertility crisis is not merely a matter of numbers. It reflects a deep entanglement of cultural, economic, gender, and systemic challenges. Unless a comprehensive restructuring of society creates an environment genuinely conducive to raising future generations, this former Asian economic miracle could become the first modern nation in human history to gradually decline due to demographic collapse.