The statement "Importing brides boosts fertility rate" has triggered a diplomatic row. A South Korean official has been expelled from the party.

Recently, local officials in South Korea made the statement that "importing foreign women can increase the birth rate", which caused a huge uproar. It not only triggered strong public backlash but also led to a formal protest from the Vietnamese government, turning into a diplomatic incident.

It is reported that Kim Hee-soo (71 years old), the county governor of Jinsando County, South Jeolla Province (equivalent to a county magistrate in China), said during a live broadcast of the local administrative meeting on February 4th that in order to address the issue of population decline, it is necessary to consider "importing" young women from countries such as Sri Lanka and Vietnam to help rural young people get married. This statement was quickly spread on the internet and caused a public outcry.

The Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea sent a protest letter to the government of South Jeolla Province (equivalent to a provincial government) and the Jeongdo County government on the 6th, criticizing Kim Hee-soo's remarks for objectifying women and damaging the dignity of Vietnamese women, and potentially having a negative impact on the 30-year strategic partnership between South Korea and Vietnam.

The statement emphasizes: "Referring to women as 'imported objects' not only insults the dignity of individuals, but also harms the common reputation of the two peoples."

Subsequently, Vietnamese immigrant communities, women's groups and human rights organizations all issued statements demanding that Kim Hee-soo make a sincere apology and take practical remedial measures.

In response to this, the government of South Jeolla Province issued another official apology statement, clearly stating that "the word 'import' seriously objectifies women and infringes upon their human dignity. It cannot be justified in any situation." Kim Hee-soo herself also publicly apologized, admitting that the wording was inappropriate and expressing deep regret.

The government of Jindo County (Jindo Prefecture) argued that their intention was "to speak out for attracting population", but mistakenly used the word "import". They also explained that they were extremely eager to address the local population crisis.

Nevertheless, the controversy continues to escalate. On Monday (February 9th), the ruling party of South Korea announced that it would expel Kim Hee-soo from the party. The party's chief spokesperson, Park Su-hyun, sternly stated: "Women are not tools of the immigration policy and should not be objectified." The entire senior leadership of the party unanimously passed an emergency disciplinary resolution against him.

With Kim Hee-soo's defeat, the electoral landscape for the local elections scheduled for June 3rd has also been affected. Politicians have pointed out that although he has been expelled from the party, Kim Hee-soo may still run as an independent candidate, leveraging his current advantages to seek re-election. However, his controversial remarks will undoubtedly become an important factor for voters to consider.

In the context of the low birth rate crisis, the central and local governments of South Korea have all stepped up their support efforts.

According to the "Analysis Report on 2025 Family Support Policies" released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea and the Institute for Childcare Policy on February 1st, the total budget for family-related matters of all local governments in 2025 exceeded 3 trillion won for the first time, reaching 317.2 billion won, the highest figure in history. It increased nearly threefold within two years, reflecting that local governments are actively promoting policies such as marriage and childbearing incentives and housing support in an effort to stabilize the upward trend of the birth rate.

After the total fertility rate in South Korea rose to 0.75 in 2024, it is expected to reach 0.8 in 2025, achieving a continuous increase. However, experts warn that in order to sustain the increase in the birth rate, the one-off subsidy model must be abandoned and a sustainable system for childcare and employment support must be established.