Lower thirds: 

0:03  Ralph Martin

Script:

South Korea has one of the most powerful militaries in the world. It's mainly for deterrence against heavily armed arch-rival North Korea and other regional powers. BUT South Korea is running short of troops - a new defense ministry report says it needs another 50-thousand soldiers for full combat readiness. 

:24 

In 2005, the South Korean army had 690 thousand soldiers - that has now fallen to 450 thousand in 2025. In just the last six years, the population of 20-year-old men declined by 30 percent. 

:41 
Birthrates are falling around the globe, especially in developed countries. But South Korea has the lowest birthrate in the world. The hIgh cost of living and lack of support for working mothers discourages women from having babies - despite government subsidies to encourage having children. 

1:02   
South Korea's defense budget is larger than North Korea's whole economy. But with fewer and fewer soldiers, the future of its military readiness is in doubt.