[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Haenam County in Jeonnam and Juksin Village in Yeonggwang have been selected as outstanding local governments and villages for population policies.
Jeonnam Province announced on the 10th that it selected ‘Haenam County’ and ‘Yeonggwang Juksin Village’ as the best local government and village, respectively, for leading efforts to overcome low birth rates and population decline issues.
About 30 officials, including Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok, Haenam Deputy County Governor, and representatives from Yeonggwang Juksin Village, attended the ‘2020 Low Birth Rate and Population Policy Awards Ceremony’ held that day.
Haenam County, which won the grand prize as the top city/county in the birth encouragement policy evaluation, was highly recognized for its contribution to revitalizing the region through active life-cycle (birth, childcare, employment, marriage, etc.) birth support policies.
In addition, two cities/counties including Gwangyang City and Yeonggwang County received the excellence award, and five cities/counties including Suncheon City, Naju City, Jangheung County, Goheung County, and Hwasun County received encouragement awards.
Yeonggwang Juksin Village, which won the excellence award in the village and enterprise category, was highly evaluated for successfully operating a village enterprise utilizing the local specialty barley through collaboration between seniors and young people returning to rural areas, contributing to youth job creation and improvement of seniors’ living conditions.
Along with this, two places including Mokpo-based smart factory Human IT Solution Co., Ltd., which actively created youth jobs, and Suncheon Munseong Village, which carried out a project to attract 100 residents through honorary resident systems, won excellence awards. Two companies, Kim Taekyung Our Wheat Bakery in Gurye and Estec Co., Ltd. in Gwangyang, received encouragement awards.
Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok said, “I appreciate the efforts of the awardees who worked hard to overcome the low birth rate and population issues, which are absolute survival issues for Jeonnam, despite the difficult environment caused by COVID-19. We will broadly implement Jeonnam-type population policies by life cycle stages such as childbirth, childcare, employment, and marriage to restore regional vitality and strive to form a healthy population structure.”
Meanwhile, as new policies to overcome low birth rates, Jeonnam Province plans to promote ▲200 million KRW marriage congratulatory money for young couples (under 45 years old) ▲500,000 KRW support for purchasing childcare products for families with three or more children ▲additional support for infertility treatment costs for Jeonnam-type infertile couples ▲expansion of newborn childcare expenses (from 300,000 KRW to 500,000 KRW per person) ▲expansion of eligibility for multi-child happiness cards.
In addition, to establish a foundation for youth inflow and settlement, Jeonnam plans to expand projects such as population policy project contests, youth hope stepping stone savings accounts, and support for newlyweds and multi-child families’ housing.
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