Gwangyang City Establishes Population Policy... 54 Projects with 206.3 Billion Won Investment

Expectations for Overcoming Population Issues Such as Low Birthrate and Aging and Improving Citizens' Quality of Life

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Gwangyang City, Jeonnam announced on the 21st that it will invest a total of 206.3 billion KRW in population policy projects to be promoted this year.

According to the 'Gwangyang City Population Increase Policy Support Ordinance,' the city has shifted from planning in some areas such as childbirth, childcare, and relocation incentives to a comprehensive population policy responding to low birthrate and aging, and established the '2020 Gwangyang City Population Policy Implementation Plan.'

With the vision of "A hopeful city where both myself and future generations are happy," the city pursues two major goals: ▲Improving the satisfaction of life in Gwangyang ▲Taking root and living in Gwangyang, and accordingly promotes five major tasks and 54 detailed projects.

The five major tasks are ▲Expanding residential infrastructure through early supply of targeted medium-to-large brand apartments ▲Creating an environment where children can be raised safely and without burden ▲Promoting economic independence of the youth ▲Supporting a vibrant old age life ▲Responding to population changes together with the local community.

Among the 54 detailed projects, six projects including ▲POSCO Group Employment Academy Operation (240 million KRW) ▲New Middle-aged Job Project (500 million KRW) ▲Children's Childcare Foundation Project (500 million KRW) are newly promoted.

Also, 48 projects such as ▲Postpartum care (mother and newborn) service (1 billion KRW) ▲Expansion of shared childcare centers (170 million KRW) ▲Expansion of national and public daycare centers (1.5 billion KRW) ▲Happy old age, Gwangyang-type senior job project (8.8 billion KRW) ▲Youth happy housing construction (3 billion KRW) will continue or be expanded.

In addition, projects expected to impact population such as ▲Creating reemployment environment for career-interrupted women ▲Establishing a vitality city model for retirees in Gwangyang through facility construction, program support, and administrative service provision will complete population impact review procedures including expert consultation by next month and pursue policy supplementation.

This population policy implementation plan will invest 13.4 billion KRW (6.5%) of national funds, 4.8 billion KRW (2.3%) of provincial funds, 54.7 billion KRW (26.5%) of city funds, and 133.4 billion KRW (64.7%) of private and self-funded funds.

Lim Chaegi, Strategic Policy Officer, said, "Based on the 2020 population policy implementation plan, we will respond systematically with a long-term population policy perspective, and focus administrative power on population inflow policies such as creating better conditions for child-rearing and education, discovering new industries to create youth jobs, and discovering and promoting cases of settling and residing attracted by the city's charm."