Low Birth Rate Prompts Eternal Youth Funding

South Korea struggles to discover secrets of eternal youth

The science ministry's technology project is part of an all-out government campaign to stop a falling birth rate. Despite incentives, many young people have been reluctant to give up careers to start a family. Some see children as an expensive burden on their lifestyles and careers. As a result, the country's fertility rate, the average number of children born to a fertile woman, fell to a record low of 1.08 in 2005, far lower than the world average of 2.6.

South Korea's population, which stands at 48 million this year, is forecast to fall to 40 million in 2050.