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SEOUL: South Korea will launch a new Ministry of Population Strategy to tackle pressing issues such as low birth rates and a rapidly ageing population, officials announced on Monday.

The government unveiled the plan following high-level meetings with the ruling party, saying that a revised government organisation act will be proposed within July for the launch of the ministry, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Once established, the new ministry will focus on strategy and planning for demographic issues, such as low birth rates, population aging, workforce, and immigration, serving as the control tower for these matters.

The ministry will also be responsible for drawing up population policies and mid- to long-term strategies, taking over the tasks currently managed by the health and finance ministries.

Officials also stated that the new ministry will oversee the allocation and coordination of budgets aimed at addressing low birth rates across multiple ministries.

Additionally, the head of the new ministry will concurrently serve as the deputy prime minister for social affairs, a role currently held by the education minister.

The ministry, once launched, plans to bolster public campaigns and promotions to address demographic challenges, and conduct research and analysis on demographic data, officials said.