Too few , or too many ? By Rick RuffinThe Korea Times editorial published on June 1 , 2011 was right on in calling for a national debate on population . `` Population is Power , ” says the paper , which advocates jump - starting South Korea ’ s sagging birthrate now threatening to turn this nation into a `` super - aged society ” by 2050 . But while The Korea Times thinks that we need more people , experts around the world caution that too many people are exactly the reason behind most of the problems facing humanity . That ’ s also what scholars who wrote the textbook `` Ecosystem and the Environment ” ― elective reading for all high school students in South Korea ― say . On page 26 , in Korean , it reads ( this writer ’ s translation ) `` Human population increase is the main cause of environmental problems . ” The saddest thing about this book is that it is not required reading for all high school students , and that may be the reason for public ignorance on such matters today . While The Korea Times editorial ’ s argument is understandable from a geopolitical point of view ( Korea is surrounded by China , Russia and Japan ) , it fails to point out that all countries of the world do not have to be in a global race to see who can have more babies . Perhaps instead of a national debate on ways to solve the so - called `` South Korean fertility crisis , ” what is needed is an international debate on `` How much is enough ? ” The problem , of course , is that other countries don ’ t want to stop growing . India added almost four times the population of South Korea just over the last decade . Nigeria is expected to have 730 million people by the end of this century , up from its current 162 million . Yemen , which had only 5 million people in 1950 , is predicted to have 100 million by the end of this century , and according to Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute , all the groundwater in the Middle East is virtually gone . South Korea , which is heavily dependent on international trade , could not support the almost 50 million people currently living here should imports suddenly dry up . According to a report published by Optimum Population Trust , South Korea is the fourth least self sufficient county in the world , after Singapore , Israel and Kuwait , with a `` sustainable population ” of just 3 . 79 million . As South Korea ’ s thirst for food and luxury items increases , it is buying up land in other countries in order to meet its insatiable needs . But as the population of other countries also swells , what will happen ? Who will win the war over resources ? It is ironic that in the same issue in which The Korea Times argues for more people , there were two other articles pointing out problems caused by too many people . At the top of page 7 of the June 1 issue , a headline read : `` CO 2 emissions highest ever in 2010 . ” At the bottom of page 9 an article written by a U . N . official for economic development read : `` Food fears return . ” The writer cites `` Deforestation , growing population pressure , urbanization , soil erosion , over - fishing ” and more as some of the reasons behind current food inflation . But he could have saved a lot of ink had he simply said `` People ― too many people . ” Granted , a lot of us are perfectly happy to sit in automobile gridlock and watch forest converted to superhighways and shopping malls as long as it makes life more convenient . But when blue - fin tuna is no longer available at the local sushi restaurant , will we feel cheated ? And when our summer vacation home is washed away by rising sea levels , who will be to blame ? Experts such as Lester Brown , David Suzuki and others warn us of the impending world food crisis . By publishing articles advocating finding new ways to increase the population , The Korea Times is either shirking social responsibility or they really do believe that not enough people is `` the problem . ” The State of Utah has the fastest growing population in the United States . The Salt Lake City Tribune recently published an article reporting that the greater SLC area is experiencing `` traffic congestion , dwindling water supplies , runaway air pollution , suburban sprawl , overflowing landfills , stressed infrastructure , ever - lengthening commutes , rising unemployment , diminishing natural resources ” like never before . Despite this , it points out , `` The business people , elected officials and community leaders ( continue to ) champion growth at every opportunity . ” It ’ s time for an international debate on population . It should no longer be a race to see which country can have the most babies . Rick Ruffin , a graduate of University of Texas , now writes from Donghae , Gangwon Province . He can be reached at rick . ruffin @ gmail . com .