Rapidly aging South Korea prepares to open door for foreign maids

South Korea approved a Seoul city plan on Friday to let 100 foreign domestic workers into the country through a pilot programme aimed at boosting birth rates by helping more women rejoin the workforce. The issue sits at the confluence of South Korea's sharply declining birthrate, aging population, and its historical reluctance to accept more immigrants. Many Korean women face the pressure to stay home and raise families or opt not to have a child altogether due to the high cost of raising children, while the labour ministry said there is a dwindling number of young Koreans interested in domestic work.