South Korean soldiers salute at a memorial ceremony at Taesungdong, near the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, July 26, 2006. South Korea needs soldiers and is calling on its troops to make them by turning out more babies. South Korea's military last week unveiled a new policies aimed at making it easier for military couples to have and raise children. The country has the lowest fertility rate among developed nations with an average of 1.08 children per woman. The birth rate among military couples is 0.83, officials said. "The low birth rate can seriously affect our economy, politics and even national security," said Lieutenant Hong Kyung-moon, an army personnel officer. The army will try to keep newlyweds together by allowing them to stay in the same posting for five years so that they can start and raise a family, Hong said by telephone. If a military family has a third child, the soldier can select a geographic area in the country to their liking for their posting. These policies and others went into effect on Aug 1. "We improved the system and believe it will bring an increase in the birth rate," Hong said. (Agencies)

韩国政府号召军队士兵多生孩子，以解决韩国军人紧缺的问题。 上周，韩国军方出台了一项新政策，旨在促使军人夫妇们多生孩子，抚养好孩子。 韩国的人口出生率在发达国家中是最低的，平均每个妇女只有1.08个孩子。据官方介绍，军人夫妇的生育率只有0.83。 韩国军队负责人事的韩金满军官说：“出生率低会严重影响韩国的经济、政治、甚至国家安全。” 据韩军官在电话采访中介绍，韩国军队将设法让新婚夫妇呆在一起，允许他们在同一部队工作五年，这样他们便可以组建起一个家庭。 如果一个军人家庭有了第三个孩子，这名军人便可以按照自己的愿望选择国内任何地方的部队就职。这一系列政策及其他相关规定从8月1日起开始实施。 韩军官说：“我们对制度进行了完善，相信这会促进韩国人口出生率的增长。” (英语点津姗姗编辑)