A South Korean official, Kim Hee-soo, sparked outrage after suggesting the country should "import young women" from Vietnam or Sri Lanka to help raise its birth rate. Kim, the head of Jindo County, made the comment during a town hall meeting last week. He said these women could be married off to "young men in rural areas." South Korea faces one of the world's lowest birth rates, threatening to halve its 50 million population in 60 years. But Kim's statement, which was broadcast on TV, angered many and led to a formal protest from Vietnam. Kim apologized the next day but failed to calm the anger. He admitted that his language was "inappropriate," according to local media. South Jeolla Province also issued a formal apology, saying his comments caused "deep pain to Vietnamese people and to women." The Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul condemned the remarks on Facebook, stating they reflect serious issues about "values and attitudes towards migrant women and minority groups." Sri Lanka has not made any public comments yet. The ruling Democratic Party voted unanimously to expel Kim from their ranks, a party spokesperson said on Monday. Women’s and migrant rights activists are planning a rally in front of the Jindo County Office on Tuesday to protest Kim's remarks. The town hall meeting was originally called to discuss merging Jindo County with a nearby city due to falling populations in the area.