This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8469532.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| South Koreans told to make babies | South Koreans told to make babies |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| South Korean government workers are being given an unusual instruction - go home and multiply. | South Korean government workers are being given an unusual instruction - go home and multiply. |
| At 1900 on Wednesday, officials at the Ministry of Health will turn off all the lights in the building. | At 1900 on Wednesday, officials at the Ministry of Health will turn off all the lights in the building. |
| They want to encourage staff to go home to their families and, well, make bigger ones. They plan to repeat the experiment every month. | They want to encourage staff to go home to their families and, well, make bigger ones. They plan to repeat the experiment every month. |
| The country has one of the world's lowest birth rates, lower even than neighbouring Japan. | The country has one of the world's lowest birth rates, lower even than neighbouring Japan. |
| Leading by example | Leading by example |
| Boosting the number of newborn children is a priority for the government, which is staring into the abyss of a rapidly ageing society, falling levels of manpower and spiralling health care costs. | Boosting the number of newborn children is a priority for the government, which is staring into the abyss of a rapidly ageing society, falling levels of manpower and spiralling health care costs. |
| The Ministry of Health, now sometimes jokingly referred to as the Ministry of Matchmaking, is in charge of spearheading this drive, and it clearly believes its staff should lead by example. | The Ministry of Health, now sometimes jokingly referred to as the Ministry of Matchmaking, is in charge of spearheading this drive, and it clearly believes its staff should lead by example. |
| Generous gift vouchers are on offer for officials who have more than one child, and the department organises social gatherings in the hope of fostering love amongst its bureaucrats. | Generous gift vouchers are on offer for officials who have more than one child, and the department organises social gatherings in the hope of fostering love amongst its bureaucrats. |
| But critics say what is really needed is widescale reform to tackle the burdensome cost of childcare and education that puts many young people off starting a family. | But critics say what is really needed is widescale reform to tackle the burdensome cost of childcare and education that puts many young people off starting a family. |
| Are you in South Korea? What is your view of this idea? What do you think will help increase South Korea's birth rate? Send us your comments using the form below. | |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |