S Korea’s birth rate falls to all-time low

South Korea's birth rate hit a new low yesterday as authorities announced barely 300,000 babies were born last year in the nation of 51 million people. The country has one of the world's longest life expectancies and one of its lowest birthrates, a combination that presents a looming demographic disaster. The government has spent more than 180 trillion won ($148 billion) since 2006 to boost birth rates.