Recently, South Korea has issued a worried article worried that South Korea may soon withdraw from the "3050 club", the so-called "3050 club" is a developed country with a population of more than 50 million and a per capita GDP of more than 30,000 US dollars.
Currently, there are seven countries around the world that meet this standard: the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and South Korea.
From the perspective of South Korea, it is just enough to meet this standard, with a population of 51 million, slightly higher than 50 million, and a per capita GDP of 3 in 2022$270,000, slightly higher than $30,000. The two standards of the "3050 Club" are actually a standard for an ideal middle power.
If it can meet both of these criteria, it will be at least a middle power. Of course, as I said, this is only ideal. In an undesirable state, it means that not two conditions are met at the same time, but one of the conditions has a greater advantage.
For example, India and Russia, both with populations of far more than 50 million, but their per capita GDP is still far from 30,000 US dollars, but they are also proper middle powers. Not to mention our country, although its GDP per capita is only 1270,000 US dollars, which is still far from 30,000 US dollars, but the comprehensive national strength has far exceeded that of many middle powers.
South Korea is indeed a middle power by two standards, and even in terms of industrial manufacturing, South Korea's strength surpasses that of the United Kingdom, France, and Italy.
But South Korea also has its own problems, that is, it is just above the standard in both aspects, and it is ranked last among the middle powers, and it is also ranked last in the "3050 club". And now South Korea is facing relatively big challenges on both fronts.
First, in terms of population, South Korea has only 51 million people, which is only 1 million more than 50 million. South Korea's total fertility rate has been the lowest in the world for many years. In 2022, only 2490,000, with 37 deaths280 thousand. Judging by South Korea's fertility rate, South Korea's population may soon reach below 50 million. South Korea's population is now infinitely closer to Spain.
The second is the per capita GDP, and South Korea's per capita GDP is 3$270,000 may seem like more than $30,000, but in 2017, South Korea's per capita GDP exceeded $30,000 and reached $3160,000 US dollars, South Korea's per capita GDP has not increased much in the past five years.
And this explains the stagnation of South Korea's economy. And now this problem is becoming more and more prominent, this year's South Korea's ** deficit with China is 18 billion US dollars, which is the first time in 31 years that there is a ** deficit in China, indicating that the market competitiveness of Korean products is declining. This further constrains the increase in South Korea's per capita GDP.