'Foreign workers could solve low birthrate' - “외국인 노동자들이 저출산 문제를 해결할 수 있을 것”

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/07/742_354628.html

'Foreign workers could solve low birthrate'

 

Mayor mentions rising labor shortage issue after first year in office
오세훈 서울시장, 취임 1년 이후 늘어나는 인력 부족 문제 언급

foreign worker 외국인 노동자

migrant worker = migratory worker 계절노동자, 이주 노동자

foreign resident = alien = foreigner 외국인 거주자, 재유외국인, 외국인 체류자

solve = settle = resolve = cope with = deal with = handle = tackle = navigate = address = treat = manage = unravel 해결하다, 다루다, 처리하다, 풀다

birthrate = childbirth rate = fertility rate 출생률, 출산율

rising = increasing = growing = mounting = inflating = evolving = brewing = burgeoning = soaring = surging 커지는, 증가하는, 늘어나는

labor shortage = manpower shortage = workforce shortage = lack of manpower 인력 부족, 노동력 감소

in office = during one's turms of office = in one's tenure = during one's incumbency = during one's service = on one's watch = under one's stewardship 재임중에, 임기중에 

 

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, Monday that the labor shortage issue, stemming from the country's demographic decline, could be partly solved by accepting more foreigners.
오세훈 서울시장은 월요일 인구 감소로 인한 국내 노동력 부족 문제는 외국인을 더욱 많이 받아들임으로써 부분적으로 해결될 수 있을 것이라고 말했다.

 

stemming from = originating in = derived from = traceable from = emanated from = coming from ~에서 비롯한, ~에서 기원한

demographic decline = a decline in population = population decrease 인구감소, 인구통계학적 감소

be partly solved by ~에 의해 부분적으로 해결되다, ~에 의해 어느정도 해결되다

partly = partially = halfway = in part = to some extent = to a certain extent 어느정도, 부분적으로

 

Having completed the first year of his fourth mayoral term, Oh proposed the idea after a business trip to Japan to see Tokyo Mayor Koike Yuriko late last month. Oh said he learned that the Japanese capital became more open to accepting foreigners, which he saw as a solution to Korea's aging society and dwindling domestic workforce.
시장 임기 4년 중 첫 해를 마친 오 시장은 지난달 말 고이케 유리코 도쿄도지사를 만나기 위해 일본 출장을 다녀온 뒤 이 같은 구상을 제안했다. 오 시장은 일본 자본이 외국인 수용에 더 개방적이 되었다는 것을 알게 되었다고 말했는데, 오 시장은 이것이 한국의 고령화 사회와 국내 노동력 감소에 대한 해결책이라고 보고 있다.

 

the first year of his fourth mayoral term 시장 임기 4년 중 첫 해

mayoral term 시장 임기

propose the idea = draw up an idea = put forward an idea = suggest an idea = float an idea = present an idea = come up with an idea = give an opinion = bring forward views 아이디어를 제시하다, 구상을 제안하다

business trip 출장

become open = become open-minded = become inclusive = become broad-minded = become unprejudiced 개방적으로 되다, 열린 마음이 되다

aging society (진행중인)고령화 사회, 노령화 사회

aged society (진행된) 고령 사회, 노령 사회

dwindling = declining = decreasing = dropping = going down = nose-diving = plummeting = plunging = reducing 감소하는, 하락하는, 떨어지는, 줄어드는

workforce = manpower = labour force = human resource = labour 노동력, 인력자원

 

"We already have a large number of foreigners in Seoul who are mostly from China and Southeastern Asian countries," the mayor said at a press conference at Seoul City Hall. "Welcoming them to be part of our city is the fastest way to secure the city's labor force."
오 시장은 서울시청에서 열린 기자간담회에서 "이미 서울에는 대부분 중국과 동남아시아 국가들로부터 온 많은 외국인들이 있다"면서 "그들이 서울시의 일부가 되는 것을 환영하는 것이 서울시의 노동력을 확보하는 가장 빠른 방법"이라고 덧붙였다.

 

a large number of =  a great number of = a lot of = lots of = a great many = a greal deal of = numerous = plenty of = a host of = a slew of = many = a significant number of 많은 수의, 상당수의

said at a press conference = said at a press briefing 기자 간담회에서 말하다

be part of ~의 일원이 되다, ~에 참여하다, ~에 연루되다

 

The mayor said the process must be considered carefully as it would need to gain consensus first.
오 시장은 이 과정은 우선 공감대가 형성되어야 하기 때문에 신중하게 고려되어야 한다고 밝혔다.

 

be considered carefully = be considered discreetly = be considered prudently = be regarded as deliberately, be deemed as deliberate 신중하게 고려되다

gain consensus = reach an agreement = reach a consensus = get the nod = get the green light = get the thumbs up 합의에 이르다, 승인을 받다, 동의를 구하다

 

A profession where the mayor wants to see an increase is nannies. Oh said that having a large pool of babysitters would eventually encourage more young Korean couples to get married and have babies.
오 시장은 베이비시터라는 직업이 증가하는 것을 기대하고 있다. 오 시장은 많은 베이비시터 인력을 확보한다면 결국 더 많은 젊은 부부들이 결혼하고 아기를 갖도록 장려할 수 있을 것이라고 말했다.

 

see an increase in ~에서 증가를 보다

nanny = babysitter = sitter (아이의 집에서) 아이 보는 여자, 유모

encourage = boost = hearten = cheer up = buoy up = give courage = inspire courage = raise spirit 북돋아주다, 격려하다

get married = tie the knot = get hitched 부부의 인연을 맺다

have babies 아이를 갖다

 

The problem is that hiring them is not affordable for many Korean households, given that the wages for babysitters are calculated according to the country's minimum hourly wage, which could rise further. Currently set at 9,620 won ($7.36), Koreans are requesting to raise it to 12,210 won while employers are demanding a freeze at the current level.
문제는 베이비시터들을 고용하는 것이 많은 한국 가정들에 있어서 버거운 일인데, 이는 베이비시터 임금이 최저 시급에 따라 적용되며 또 앞으로 최저 시급이 더 오를 수도 있다는 점 때문이다. 현재 9,620원으로 책정되어 있는 최저 임금 시급에 대해 한국인들은 12,210원으로 인상을 요구하고 있는 반면 고용주들은 현재 수준에서 동결을 요구하고 있다.

 

affordable 감당할 수 있는, 형편이 되는, 적절한

given that = considering that = inasmuch as = seeing that = in light of = in view of = in consideration of = on account of = owing to = taking into account ~을 고려해 볼때, ~인점을 고려하면

minimum hourly wage 시간당 최저 임금

freeze wages 임금을 동결하다

wage freeze 임금동결

at the current level 현재수준을 유지하다

 

"In Singapore and Hong Kong, hiring babysitters doesn't cost more than 1 million won monthly," Oh said.
오 시장은 "싱가포르와 홍콩에서 베이비시터를 고용하는 것은 한 달에 100만원 이상이 들지 않는다"고 말했다.

 

hire = employ = engage = take on 고용하다

monthly 매달, 다달이, 한달에 한번, 월간

 

"With that cost, the low birth problem becomes treatable. But in Korea, that figure is legally impossible. Here it costs nearly 2 million won. Who would want to have babies under that financial burden? Hiring babysitters in Korea requires introducing a new legal condition that is detached from the minimum wage system to overcome that financial burden for Koreans."
"그 비용으로 저출산 문제는 해결할 수 있게 된다. 하지만 한국에서는 그 비용이 법적으로 불가능하다. 한국은 거의 2백만 원의 비용이 든다. 누가 그런 경제적 부담 속에서 아기를 갖기를 원하겠는가? 한국에서 베이비시터를 고용하려면 한국인으로서 경제적 부담을 극복하기 위해 최저임금 제도와 분리된 새로운 법적 조건을 도입하는 것이 필요하다."

 

low birth problem 저출산 문제

become treatable = become solvable = become resolvable = become resoluble 해결할 수 있는

financial burden = financial difficulties 재정상의 부담

introduce = bring in = institute = impose = launch = implement = carry out 도입하다, 시행하다

be detached from = be separated from = be disengaged from = be aloof from be disconnected from ~와는 별채로 되어 있다, ~와는 분리되어 있다

minimum wage system 최저 임금 제도

 

Oh also spoke about making Seoul more attractive to tourists, adding that the Han River must be redeveloped quickly.
오 시장은 또 관광객들에게 서울을 더욱 매력적으로 만드는 것에 대해 설명했고, 한강은 시급히 재개발되어야 한다고 덧붙였다.

 

speak about ~에 대해 말하다

attractive = fascinating = charming = intriguing = compelling = appealing = alluring = tasteful 매력적인, 흥미로운

redevelop = revamp = renovate = refurbish = make over = remodel = furnish up 재개발하다, 재단장하다, 신장하다

 

 

 

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