Presidential aide You Hye-mi said in a radio interview, "Utilizing more foreign workers could be an option to counter the country's rapidly shrinking working-age population."
"We should establish long-term strategies for the influx of more skilled foreign workers while promoting Korea as an appealing place to live and work," she added.
Citing figures from Statistics Korea, she also questioned whether the country will remain as it is, given that the population is expected to decrease by a whopping 30 percent over the next half century, with the proportion of the elderly surpassing the working-age population by 2072.
The official also mentioned the recent arrival of Filipino domestic helpers in Seoul. She pointed out the high cost of hiring them, as their wages are calculated based on Korea's minimum wage of 9,860 won ($7.42) per hour.
"We should come up with measures to lower the cost of hiring them, making it more affordable for ordinary households," she stressed.
You, 47, recently assumed a newly created position tasked with addressing Korea's low birth rates. A mother of two, she brings her expertise as a former economics professor at Hanyang University to this critical role, created by President Yoon Suk Yeol late last month.
