Seoul to fight abortion, increase skilled immigration amid shrinking birthrate

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks, additional information)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Yonhap) -- The government will soon launch a nationwide
anti-abortion campaign and aggressively seek more foreigners to come and settle
down here as part of efforts to keep the country's population from shrinking, a
presidential council said Wednesday.
The move comes as the country again chalked-up one of the lowest birthrates in
the world this year.
"The government decided to launch an 'Increase Koreans' project that will
actively invite more talented persons from overseas by widening doors to foreign
immigrants and by revising our immigration regulations to allow dual
citizenship," the Presidential Council for Future and Vision said in a press
release.
The council held its first meeting on measures to fight the low birthrate
Wednesday, also attended by President Lee Myung-bak.
The measures also include increasing social and financial support for families
with newborns or those with a multiple number of children.
Families with three or more children will be given special interest rates on
their mortgages while the government will provide support of 1.5 million won
(US$1,300) up to three times to each couple undergoing artificial insemination
procedures, according to the press release.
The school entrance age will also be lowered by one year, a move that will extend
employment years while also allowing parents to start working early.
"We have been a society that promoted abortion...There are few people who realize
abortion is illegal. We must work to create a mood where abortion is
discouraged," Kwak Seung-jun, head of the presidential council, told reporters.
The president noted the most urgent issue was not what to do, but how fast
measures can be taken.
"We cannot wait 10 years. We must thoroughly review the issue and immediately
take bold measures," the president was quoted as saying by his spokeswoman Kim
Eun-hye.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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