Elon Musk (53), the chief executive officer (CEO) of Tesla and the head of the U.S. Department of Efficiency (DOGE), identified the low birth rate as the greatest crisis for human survival. He specifically expressed strong concern about the population decline in South Korea.
Musk appeared on Fox News on the 29th (local time) and responded to the question, "What is your biggest worry that keeps you awake at night?" by saying, "The extinction of humanity," warning about the declining birth rate.
He noted, "South Korea's birth rate is only one-third of the replacement level," and pointed out, "After three generations, South Korea's population will shrink to about 3% to 4% of its current level."
He continued, "Nothing is changing the current situation," and emphasized, "Humanity is going extinct, and it is not evolutionarily prepared for such a change."
Since last September, Musk has shared graphs of South Korea's birth rate and population structure several times on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), pointing out that "South Korea is heading toward a population cliff at the fastest pace in the world."
South Korea's total fertility rate fell from 0.81 in 2021 to 0.72 in 2023, and is expected to slightly rebound to 0.75 in 2024, but it remains at the lowest level in the world.
Musk is currently leading the U.S. government's restructuring and federal budget cuts as a close ally of the Trump administration. He stated, "We will reduce government spending by $1 trillion within 130 days," and defined the financial crisis and population decline as the "largest liability for future generations."
Musk, who has 14 children, urged a government-level response and a shift in awareness, stating, "Low birth rates are an existential threat to human civilization."
In fact, South Korea is the only country among OECD member states with a birth rate of below one. The number of newborns decreased by 7.7% from last year to 230,000, which is half the level compared to ten years ago.