Foreign domestic workers could worsen care inequality, experts warn

South Korea faces a critical juncture as it contemplates the introduction of foreign domestic workers to alleviate a severe care labor shortage, a situation exacerbated by the nation's low birth rate and rapidly aging population. However, this proposed solution is drawing sharp criticism from scholars who argue it risks deepening societal inequalities and devaluing the very concept of care.

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To solve low birth rates, aging, and care worker shortages, we must move away from thinking centered on economic growth and efficiency and reallocate care as a core value of society.

Joanne C. C. Tronto, a political theorist and author of "Caring Democracy," argues that the current global system perpetuates a "care deficit" where women and low-wage workers bear disproportionate care burdens, while the affluent benefit from "free rides" by outsourcing these responsibilities. This "privilege of irresponsibility," as she terms it, leads to the devaluation of care work. Tronto contends that addressing the low birth rate requires viewing children as community members, not costs, and fostering a society where children can thrive safely. Simply seeking cheaper labor to fill care gaps, she warns, will only worsen the problem.

Kim Hee-kang, a professor of public administration at Korea University and a translator of Tronto's work, highlighted South Korea's specific context. The government is discussing the introduction of foreign caregivers and domestic workers, potentially at minimum wage, to combat demographic challenges. Tronto views this approach as fundamentally flawed, suggesting that a "caring world" is the true solution to declining birth rates, not the commodification of care labor.

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People who are relatively (economically) well-off can delegate the responsibility of care. They don't have to do the dirty work themselves, like keeping things clean or preparing for the next day. People who don't have to do these things have the privilege of being irresponsible in meeting their own care needs. The 'privilege of irresponsibility' leads to not seeing or valuing care.

Tronto advocates for "caring democracy," a framework that emphasizes the equitable distribution of care as a core societal value. This requires mutual respect and cooperation between those who give and receive care. She criticizes state welfare policies that foster dependency, advocating instead for a model where the state empowers citizens to become active participants in society. Furthermore, Tronto stresses the importance of integrating care education into public schooling from an early age, teaching children the essential nature of care for human life and fostering mutual support rather than excessive competition.

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Low birth rates occur because we think of children as costs instead of members of the community, and we don't think of our community as a place where children can grow up safe and happy.

Despite the challenges, Tronto sees South Korea as a potential leader in advancing caring democracy. She acknowledges the country's efforts in institutionalizing care through the Long-Term Care Insurance for the Elderly and the integrated care system. However, she proposes a more profound step: enshrining care as a constitutional value. While not a guaranteed solution, making care a constitutional aim could steer society toward a more equitable and supportive future.

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The way to change the situation where people cannot have children out of fear is to make the world a more caring place. Seeking solutions through cheap labor will only worsen the problem.