Big Take Having a Baby? This Company Will Give You $72,000
Oct 14, 2025
South Korean companies are enticing workers with massive baby bonuses, including a staggering $72,000 offer. This initiative aims to combat the country's alarming fertility crisis. Experts discuss whether cash incentives can truly address deep-rooted cultural and structural barriers to childbearing. While some firms are making strides, the discussion reveals that solutions need to be broader, encompassing gender equity and societal change. Interestingly, there's a slight rise in birth rates, but experts caution that mere financial rewards won't solve the demographic challenges.
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Worker Wins Life-Changing Baby Bonus
- Honggi, a 37-year-old father, received $72,000 and six months of paid paternity leave after his second child was born.
- The company also paid the same amount retroactively for his first child, enabling a move to a bigger home and consideration of a third child.
Companies Stepping In Amid Demographic Crisis
- Dozens of Korean firms are offering large baby payouts to try to raise the country's ultra-low fertility rate.
- South Korea's fertility is 0.75 births per woman, the lowest in the world, creating a population crisis with economic and security implications.
Founder’s Surprise Payouts Move Employees
- Booyoung's 84-year-old founder announced a surprise policy to pay 100 million won (~$72,000) per baby for children born within three years.
- The payout is untaxed, goes directly to employees, and has reportedly kept recipients at the company.