By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter

The administration is moving to lower the age of primary school admission by one year to five in a desperate bid to fight the falling birthrate.

It is also seeking to offer incentives to third-born children when they take college entrance exams and seek jobs.

Also planned is the selective permission of dual nationality for ethnic Koreans and talented foreigners, and an active immigration policy.

The Presidential Council for Future and Vision proposed these measures in a report to President Lee Myung-bak Wednesday.

But the council did not specify when the plans will be introduced and how much of a budget would be needed, saying consultation with related ministries was necessary.

"The falling birthrate is one of the biggest challenges for this nation in preparing for the future," Lee said at the meeting. "All ministries need to come up with ideas to tackle this problem. We must take action now."

Policymakers plan to increase the number of childcare centers nationwide and offer financial aid to couples with children under school age.

In addition, the government is seeking to hold a nationwide anti-abortion campaign, encourage adoption and ease immigration rules to secure a quality foreign workforce.

Families with three or more children will be given discount in interest rates on their mortgages while the government will provide subsidies of 1.5 million won ($1,300) up to three times to couples undergoing artificial insemination.

On Tuesday, Statistics Korea reported that the number of babies born in September dropped 4.7 percent from a year earlier to 38,200, falling for the 19th consecutive month since February 2008. The agency attributed the fall to growing childcare costs and delayed marriages.

The nation's total population is expected to peak at 49.34 million in 2018, compared to the 48.74 million at the end of 2008, and fall rapidly in the following years due to the falling birthrate.

"The council is working closely with ministries to set up a master plan to boost the rate," said Kwak Seung-jun, the council's chairman.

"It is necessary to increase support for working moms and enhance systems so that husbands can share the childcare burden. A safety net for multi-cultural families and single-mother households will also be considered," he said.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr