YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) Seoul to fight abortion, increase skilled immigration amid shrinking birthrate

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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