2024-02-28 13:35:48
This is ‘Global Village Today’, which brings you important news from various countries around the world.
Host) What news is there today?
Reporter) North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, including the United States, Britain, and Germany, rejected the proposal to send troops to Ukraine. The number of asylum applications in the European Union (EU) has reached its highest level since 2016. Lastly, I would like to share the news that Korea was once once more the country with the lowest birth rate in the world last year.
Host) This is the first news from the global village today. French President Emmanuel Macron is causing controversy on the 27th when he mentioned the issue of sending Western troops to Ukraine. Several NATO allies have expressed their position on this?
Reporter) Yes. Some NATO allies, including the United States, Britain, and Germany, have dismissed the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine. First, the US White House announced on the 27th that it would not send troops to Ukraine. White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Adrian Watson issued a statement on the 27th, emphasizing that President Joe Biden “has made it clear that he will not send combat troops to Ukraine.”
Host) What specifically did President Macron say on the 27th?
Reporter) Yes. On this day (the 27th), there was an international conference in Paris to discuss the issue of support for Ukraine. After the meeting, President Macron said “everything necessary,” including sending troops, should be done to ensure Russia’s defeat. He also stressed that there was “no general agreement” on sending Western troops to Ukraine, but that “nothing can be ruled out.”
Host) How did other NATO allies, such as the UK and Germany, react to President Macron’s remarks?
Reporter) Yes. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK is already training Ukrainian troops and there are no plans to send large-scale troops to Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also emphasized that there was no change in the previously agreed position of not sending troops from European countries or NATO member countries to Ukraine. The Italian Prime Minister’s Office also drew a line, saying, “Italy’s support for Ukraine does not include the presence of troops from European or NATO member countries on Ukrainian territory.”
Host) What did NATO headquarters say?
Host) There were also voices earlier saying that NATO forces should play a more active role in supporting Ukraine, right?
Reporter) That’s right. Some even said that rather than sending combat soldiers to the front lines, troops for landmine removal, weapons production, and cyber operations might be sent to Ukraine. However, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters that U.S. troops cannot be sent to Ukraine for such a mission. He explained that the only U.S. troops currently in Ukraine are those carrying out the important task of checking with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to ensure that the weapons provided to Ukraine are being used properly.
Host) How did Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, react to President Macron’s remarks?
Reporter) Yes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that a confrontation between Russia and NATO would be inevitable if NATO troops were deployed to Ukraine. Spokesperson Peskov also pointed out that we must know that this is not in the interests of the countries sending troops to Ukraine.
Host) What did Ukraine say regarding this issue?
Reporter) Yes. Presidential adviser Myhail Podolyak welcomed President Macron’s remarks, calling them a good sign. “President Macron demonstrates a deep understanding of the risks posed to Europe by the war in Ukraine,” he said.
Host) The reason President Macron even mentioned sending troops to Ukraine is because the war situation is unclear despite massive support, right?
Reporter) That’s right. In fact, Ukrainian forces armed with modern weapons provided by the West attempted a counterattack last year, but it virtually failed. Russia has a much stronger artillery force and a larger military force compared to Ukraine. On the other hand, the Ukrainian military relies heavily on the latest weapons supported by Western countries, especially the United States. Especially recently, we are having a hard time on the front lines due to a lack of shells.
Host) Previously, the European Union (EU) promised to provide 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine, but it is known that it is not keeping this promise, right?
Reporter) Yes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a recent press conference that the EU has so far received only 30% of the promised volume, less than half.
Host) Meanwhile, there is news that Russian troops have occupied additional Ukrainian villages?
Reporter) Yes. The Ukrainian military announced on the 27th that it had withdrawn from two villages near Audiuka. A high-ranking Ukrainian military commander said that they had established a defensive line on the western side of Audiuka, which was taken over by the Russian army.
Host) Can we say that the occupation of Audiuka, a strategic point in the east, was a meaningful victory for the Russian military?
Reporter) That’s right. This is the biggest crime achieved in the past 9 months. President Vladimir Putin also evaluated the occupation of Audiuka as an absolute success.
Migrants are crossing the border from Croatia to Hungary. (file photo)
Host) This is the next news from Global Village Today. I hear the number of asylum applications within the EU has hit a record?
Reporter) Yes. According to data released by the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) on the 28th, the number of cases last year was 1.14 million, an 18% increase compared to the previous year (2022). This is the highest level since 2016. This figure combines cases not only in the EU, but also in Norway and Switzerland.
Host) There was a refugee crisis in Europe in 2015 and 2016, right?
Reporter) That’s right. At the time, as many refugees flocked to Syria due to the civil war, the number of asylum applications reached 1.16 million in 2016.
Host) The war in Ukraine began and many Ukrainians moved to EU countries. Do these EUAA statistics include these people?
Reporter) That’s not it. Since the war began, approximately 4.4 million Ukrainians have received temporary protected status in the EU. These are statistics not included.
Host) By region, from which country did the most people apply for asylum?
Reporter) Yes. Syria and Afghanistan. They were 181,000 and 114,000 cases, respectively. However, due to a new trend, Turkiye nationals ranked third with more than 100,000 cases. This is an 82% increase compared to the previous year (2022).
Host) How many asylum applications have been made by people from Palestine, where war is currently taking place?
Reporter) Yes. The record was set at approximately 11,600 cases. However, it is said that it is difficult to determine the exact number because the majority of EU member states do not recognize Palestine as a state.
Host) Which country in the EU received the most asylum applications last year?
Reporter) Yes. Germany had the highest number of cases, over 330,000, accounting for almost a third of the total. France was next with 167,000 cases, Spain with 162,000 cases, and Italy with 136,000 cases. In terms of population ratio, Cyprus ranked first, with a population of only regarding 1.2 million. There was 1 case per 78 residents.
Host) After experiencing the refugee crisis in 2015 and 2016, the EU introduced measures to reduce the influx of migrants, right?
Reporter) That’s right. It has introduced a number of measures, including strengthening border controls and streamlining deportation procedures for people whose asylum claims have been rejected. In particular, last December, the EU agreed to new regulations to reduce the influx of migrants and allocate the cost of hosting refugees and the number of refugees to be accommodated more equitably.
Host) Isn’t it predicted that despite these measures, the number of immigrants trying to enter the EU will likely increase further in the future?
Reporter) That’s right. Catherine Woollard, director of the European Committee for Refugees and Asylums (ECRE), predicted in December last year that asylum applications were likely to increase further as factors pushing people out, such as war, armed violence, instability, and authoritarianism accompanied by punishment or repression, were increasing. .
Host) The influx of refugees is becoming a topic of great debate within each EU member state. Is it possible that the announcement that the number of asylum applications increased significantly last year will ignite this debate once more?
Reporter) Yes. That’s a possibility. As the influx of refugees into the EU has become a serious social problem, far-right political parties opposing immigration are expanding their influence in many member states. Meanwhile, as various elections, including the European Parliament election, are scheduled to be held one following another this year, attention is being paid to how the increase in the number of asylum applications will affect these elections.
Guidance on childbirth for Korean women posted on the website of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Korea (file photo)
Host) Let’s look at one more news from the global village today. Is there news that Korea’s birth rate has once once more reached an all-time low?
Reporter) That’s right. On the 28th, the Korea National Statistical Office announced the provisional report on ‘2023 Birth and Death Statistics’. Last year, the number of births in Korea was 230,000, a decrease of 19,200, or 7.7%, from the previous year. The annual number of births in Korea, which exceeded 400,000 in 2016, has decreased by nearly half in less than 10 years.
Host) They say the total fertility rate continues to decline, right?
Reporter) Yes. The total fertility rate refers to the average number of children that one woman is expected to give birth to in her lifetime. The total fertility rate in 2023 was 0.72, once more breaking the all-time low. In particular, the total birth rate in the fourth quarter of last year was 0.65, the first time in quarterly history that it was in the 0.6 range. If this trend continues, the total fertility rate is expected to continue to decline this year. Previously, the Korea National Statistical Office predicted this year’s total fertility rate to be 0.68.
Host) Korea’s birth rate is already the lowest in the world, right?
Reporter) That’s right. It is said that the total fertility rate needed to maintain a stable population is 2.1. Korea’s level falls far short of this. Among the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Korea is the only country with a total fertility rate of less than 1. Major media such as Reuters and CNN covered Korea’s low birth rate phenomenon with articles reporting that Korea’s birth rate, which was already the lowest in the world, has fallen once more.
Host) Why is Korea’s low birth rate problem so serious?
Reporter) This is because Korean women avoid childbirth. There are many complex social factors at play here. As the number of dual-income families increases, the burden of childcare has also increased. The number of highly educated women is increasing, and the tendency to avoid or delay marriage due to issues such as inequality in the workplace is also cited as a reason.
Host) What is inequality in the workplace, for example?
Reporter) An example would be the wage gap between men and women. According to Reuters, Korea has the most severe gender wage gap among OECD member countries. It is said that Korean women’s income is two-thirds of that of men. Jeong Jae-hoon, a professor at Seoul Women’s University, said in an interview with Reuters that Korean women also generally have fewer opportunities for advancement at work than men due to the burden of childcare and maternity leave.
Host) Are there any statistics on marriage?
Reporter) Yes. In general, in Korea, marriage is considered to be directly related to childbirth. However, the number of so-called ‘dink families’ (Double Income, No Kids: dual-income, childless families), who do not have children even following marriage, is increasing. The marriage rate is on the decline. Last year, the number of marriages in Korea was regarding 193,700, a very small increase of 1% compared to the previous year. However, if you look at it on a monthly basis, it cannot be said to be stable, with a decrease of regarding 12% in December of last year compared to the same period last year.
Host) Is Korea’s overall population also on the decline?
Reporter) Yes. According to the Korea National Statistical Office, as of February 2024, the population of Korea is approximately 51.75 million. It is expected that the number will decrease to 36.2 million in 2072, regarding 50 years from now. In addition, the rapid aging of the population is also becoming a serious problem in Korean society.
Host) Population is a key factor in national economic growth and development. What measures is the Korean government preparing?
Reporter) Korea’s low birth rate and aging problems are not something that happened yesterday or today. The Korean government is taking measures such as raising parental leave benefits and expanding flexible working hours, but it is still evaluated as insufficient. Meanwhile, ahead of the general election in April, Korea’s major political parties are making pledges to increase public housing, expand childcare subsidies, and ease loans to encourage childbirth.
Host) Isn’t the low birth rate problem only for Korea?
Reporter) That’s right. The situation is similar in Europe, which experienced a low birth rate early on, as well as Asian countries, including the three Northeast Asian countries of Korea, Japan, and China. In Japan, the number of births last year was approximately 759,000, a 5.1% decrease from the previous year. China, which took over the world’s most populous country last year from India, also saw a decline in the number of births for the second year in a row, reaching 9.02 million last year.
Host) Today is the global village.
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