Watch: North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un cries, begs for help to stop declining birth rate

In an unbelievable moment, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un was seen bursting into tears in front of thousands of “mothers” of the country and begging them to give birth to more babies so that the rapid decline in the birth rate of the country can be stopped.

While delivering the highly choreographed plea to the women who had gathered to attend the National Mothers’ Meeting in Pyongyang on Sunday (Dec 3), the dictator appeared dabbing his eyes using a handkerchief.

Jong-Un, while addressing the women as “Dear Mothers”, said, “Preventing a decline in birth rates and good childcare are all of our housekeeping duties we need to handle while working with mothers.”

He said that his country was being confronted with a host of “social tasks that our mothers should join to tackle.”

“These tasks include bringing up their children so that they will steadfastly carry forward our revolution, eliminating the recently-increasing non-socialist practices, promoting family harmony and social unity, establishing a sound way of cultural and moral life, making the communist virtues and traits of helping and leading one another forward prevail over our society, stopping the declining birth rate, and taking good care of children and educating them effectively,” said Kim Jong-un.

“These belong to our common family affairs, which we need to deal with by joining hands with our mothers,” he added.

As per the estimates of the United Nations Population Fund, North Korea’s average fertility rate or the average number of children born stood at 1.8 in 2023, amid an increasing decline in the birth rate during recent decades.

The fertility rate has been comparatively higher in some neighbourhoods of North Korea, compared to other areas which have been facing a similar downward trend.

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The fertility rate has also dropped in South Korea to a record low of 0.78 last year, while Japan’s figure of fertility rate dwindled to 1.26.

The declining birth rates in South Korea have further led to a shortage of paediatricians, while those present in the city have been organising matchmaking events to boost birth rates.

“Given North Korea lacks resources and technological advancements, it could face difficulties to revive and develop its manufacturing industry if sufficient labour forces are not provided,” said a report prepared by Seoul-based Hyundai Research Institute.

(With inputs from agencies)