My Korean friend (she's also a mum) told me about this recently... that because of low birth rate in Korea, the government is trying to get foreign domestic workers (helpers) so that mums can have babies and go to work as well... citing Singapore and Hong Kong..

Below is the article from Straits Times -

"Seoul to trial visa route for foreign domestic helpers to help families amid record-low birth rate"

"In a bid to raise the country’s record-low birth rate, Seoul and the Ministry of Employment and Labour are reviewing a pilot project to bring domestic helpers from countries such as the Philippines to help families with childcare and housework.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has frequently called for foreign domestic workers to be allowed to work here to help raise birth rates and keep women from leaving the workforce mid-career, citing how they have been effective in Singapore and Hong Kong.

...Hong Kong and Singapore as examples that have successfully implemented large-scale special visa programmes for foreign domestic workers."

link to the article - Strait Times

Interestingly my Korean friend said this will not help the birth rate, but fixing expensive housing property rates and work life balance, ease of using maternity / paternity leave etc would be more effective in Korea.

Do you see Singapore as a success case with foreign domestic helpers?