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DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION IN SOUTH KOREA

Stephanie Forsland

St. Anthony Village High School (St. Anthony, Minnesota)

1. PURPOSE OF LESSON AND OVERVIEW

The purpose of this lesson is for students to examine South Korea’s demographic transition in relation to the Classic Demographic Transition Model. Students may also examine predicted future demographic trends. This lesson is intended for Advanced Placement Human Geography, but can be modified for an upper-level high school geography course.

2. CONTENT FOCUS

Classic Demographic Transition Model

Demographic transition in South Korea, 1960-present

Future demographic trends and implications in South Korea

3. OBJECTIVES

After this lesson students should be able to:

· Explain the Classic Demographic Transition Model

· Explain the historic, social, cultural, and economic influences on South Korea’s demographic transition in the period 1960 to the present

· Understand predicted demographic trends in South Korea

· Analyze the potential impacts of future demographic change in South Korea

· Compare potential future impacts in South Korea to nations experiencing similar and divergent patterns of demographic change

4. MATERIALS FOR LESSON

PowerPoint© (or handout) of “Population in South Korea: A Case Study”

Lesson on Classic Demographic Transition Model (available from Population Reference Bureau)

Reading: “Population Change and Development in Korea” by Kwon Tai-Hwan*

Reading: “Policy Responses to Low Fertility and Population Aging in Korea” by Ik Ki Kim**

Video: “World in Balance” Nova/PBS (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worldbalance/)

5. WORLD WIDE WEB USE

On the Classic Demographic Transition Model

http://www.prb.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PRB/Educators/LessonPlans/The_Demographic_Transition/The_Demographic_Transition—A_Contemporary_Look_at_a_Classic_Model.htm

http://www.uwmc.uwc.edu/geography/Demotrans/demtran.htm

http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/demotransition.htm

On Demographic Transition and Family Planning Policy in Korea

*http://www.askasia.org/teachers/essays/essay.php?no=124

http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/Pubs/wsp/fctshts/Korea1.htm

http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-12269.html

http://www.eastwestcenter.org/res-rp-publicationdetails.asp?pub_ID=469&SearchString= (info for a publication to purchase from the East West Center—optional)

On Population Statistics and Future Demographic Transition in South Korea

** http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/popdecline/kim.pdf

http://www.nso.go.kr/eng/index.html

http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbpyr.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/21/news/korea.php

6. THE LESSON:

A. OPENING

Before starting lesson, students already should have been instructed in basic terms and concepts of demographic change (crude birth rate, crude death rate, infant mortality rate, natural increase rate, etc.), as well as on family planning (i.e., methods, voluntary vs. coercive policies, etc.).

Introduce lesson by asking students what demographic changes they think have taken place in the US over the last 150-200 years. Also ask them what forces may have brought about any of these changes. Allow students to make guesses that are both accurate and inaccurate. (This introduction may also be done in small groups; the groups can then compare ideas before a whole-class discussion.) Next, ask what changes—and their causes—might have occurred in places as diverse as Germany, South Korea, India, and China. Use this discussion as a lead-in to the Classic Demographic Transition Model lesson.

B. READINGS

Begin with the readings from the Population Reference Bureau’s lesson on the Classic Demographic Transition Model. Supplemental readings on the internet are listed above under the Classic Demographic Transition Model. Additionally, AP students can read the appropriate sections in their text (i.e., Rubenstein or De Blij) on this topic.

After completing this PRB lesson, have students read the articles available on-line (listed above under “On Demographic Transition and Family Planning Policy in Korea). These readings should be done before the segment of the presentation (“Population in South Korea: A Case Study”) on demographic transition, but after the introductory segments on physical geography and history.

For an optional extension of the unit (see below), have students read the Kim article on future population trends and their policy implications.

C. INVESTIGATION/ANALYSIS

The first lessons are on the Classic Demographic Transition Model. Use the lesson and activities available from the Population Reference Bureau.

The second lesson involves having students apply their knowledge of the Classic Demographic Transition Model to the transitional experience of South Korea, as understood through the second set of readings. Groups of students should compare the experience of South Korea to the model. They should make a rough sketch of South Korea’s experience (based on data from the readings) for a rough visual comparison. Students should also compare the causes of transition for the model and South Korea. Instruct students to identify areas and degree of similarity and contrast in their analysis.

After this activity, the segment of the presentation on demographic transition may be used to review. Alternately, student groups could be assigned to create a similar presentation of information, to include an overview of the demographic change in each stage, approximate dates of transition, and causes for change.

In the final (optional) activity, students analyze predicted demographic change. A variety of websites may be used for this activity. To examine raw data, visit the National Statistical Office (Korea) website. Students can search for data on predicted change in total population, percent change, male-female ratio, etc. To examine this data in visual form, visit the US Census Bureau’s website to view population pyramids to the year 2050. After students have gathered and examined the data, they should predict possible consequences (i.e., social, economic, etc.) and develop a few policy options to deal with these consequences. (This extension activity is best done after viewing the Nova film “World in Balance.”) These predictions can be prepared in a “policy report” format and group spokespersons can present to the class. To conclude, have students read Kim’s article to assess their predictions in relation to an actual policy report. If the video is shown, students should include in their report a comparative analysis of South Korea’s future demographic trends shown in the film.

Other extensions may include an analysis of the urbanization trend in South Korea and its relation to past, present, and future demographic transition. Data on these internal migration patterns is available on the National Statistical Office’s website. Additionally, students can examine satellite imagery of the Korean peninsula (especially the “At Night” images) and/or photographs of urban and rural Korea over the past 100 years.

D. ASSESSMENT

Students may be assessed on the following activities:

· Classic Demographic Transition model lessons/activities

· Comparative analysis of South Korea and Demographic Transition Model

· Optional—Policy report on predicted growth and its implications

7. RESOURCE HANDOUT(S)

Presentation on “Population Change in South Korea: A Case Study” (provided in Microsoft PowerPoint© format without images for copyright reasons; it is recommended that maps and images be added per instructor preference).