FOOD, FERTILITY AND MORE

Welcome to Press Perspective for this Friday.

Now today that is July 11th is World Population Day an annual occasion to raise awareness about universal population matters.

We touch upon some of those issues in our panel session but first we talk about the growing presence of Korean food overseas.

For more I have Celio Fioretti with French daily La Croix.

Celio welcome back.

I also have writer Colin Marshall with the pundit's take on the day's topics.

1) Celio, American media claim "Korean food seems to be everywhere in the U.S." Would you say this is the trend over in Europe as well? And if so, why?

2) Colin, as recently as a decade ago, Korean cuisine was considered an acquired taste, but in recent times, the global palate for Korean dishes has been growing, if you will. How do you explain this shift in trend?

3) Celio, the UNFPA says "social and economic barriers, not choice," are behind the "fertility crisis" worldwide. First, do tell us a bit about the agency's findings, and second, to what extent, do you agree with them keeping in mind the situation here in South Korea?

4) Colin, the report also shows over four of the ten people in their 50s and above, saying that they did not have as many children as they would have liked. Do you suppose this is also the case here in South Korea? And if so, what are the broader implications of this sentiment?

5) Celio, for the sake of comparison, what can you tell us about the French birth rate and the countermeasures there?

6) And Colin, what has been shared about the Lee Jae Myung administration's population policy?

7) Celio, you recently wrote an article sharing concerns about the use of medication to address weight issues here in Korea. Do fill us in.

8) Also, Colin, you touched upon Korea's interest in physical appearances. How severe is this situation, and what are its broader repercussions?

All right.