I have been in and out of Korea for many years and know several families where the norm went from several children to one within two generations. The main facto

I have been in and out of Korea for many years and know several families where the norm went from several children to one within two generations. The main factors that I think caused this trend are: 1. Husband and wife both now work, not just in jobs, but in careers they are heavily invested in. 2. Getting and prospering in a career is really tough. I heard something like among current college graduates, only 20% are expected to ever find a full-time permanent position. 3. The education system is so competitive that doing well requires effort to the limits of physical endurance. It is not just the financial cost. Supporting a child to adulthood is draining on the parents in other ways. The families I know are in the top 10% for educational attainment, so I don't know how well this applies to working class families. 4. This is relatively minor, but there is a perpetual housing crunch and this affects prices.