'Luxuries I can't afford': why fewer women in South Korea are having children

As the population declines, traditional gender roles and careers are leading many to forgo childbirth

The outcry created this month by Seoul city government's advice for expectant mothers - including tips on how to cater to their husband's every need while heavily pregnant - has reignited the debate over why so many South Korean women are choosing not to have children.

The guidelines, issued by the city's pregnancy and childbirth information centre, were taken down in response to online fury, but not before they had provided a telling insight into attitudes towards gender roles in South Korea, one of the world's most advanced economies.