Geoje City to Provide Financial Support to New Military Enlistees Starting This Year

First in the Province to Provide Enlistment Support Funds, Congratulations Money for New Students Too

Gyeongnam Geoje City will provide enlistment support funds to new military recruits for the New Year and offer enrollment congratulatory funds to children entering daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Trainee Reporter Lee Seryeong] Geoje City, Gyeongnam Province, will provide enlistment support funds to citizens joining the military starting this year, and entrance celebration funds to children enrolling in daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools.

This initiative aims to encourage citizens fulfilling their military service obligations, enhance the pride of Geoje residents, reduce the burden of education expenses, and realize universal educational welfare and a happy educational environment.

The city established the legal basis for support by enacting the ‘Geoje City Enlistment Support Fund Ordinance’ and the ‘Geoje City Kindergarten and Elementary School Entrance Celebration Fund Ordinance’ to provide funds to enlisting soldiers.

The enlistment support fund is the first of its kind to be implemented in Gyeongnam Province, and the entrance celebration fund for first-time daycare enrollment is provided under the existing Geoje City Infant Care Ordinance.

The enlistment support fund is 100,000 KRW per person, and the daycare entrance celebration fund is 95,000 KRW per person, both payable from January 1. Kindergarten students receive 95,000 KRW per person, and elementary school students receive 100,000 KRW per person, provided in line with the March enrollment period.

The eligibility for the enlistment support fund includes active-duty soldiers or social service personnel scheduled for enlistment or mobilization who have been registered residents of Geoje City for more than one year as of the application date and have received an enlistment notice.

Applications can be submitted starting January 3 by visiting the local community service center with an ID and enlistment or mobilization notice before the day prior to enlistment.

The enlistment support fund will be paid using Geoje Love Gift Certificates, a local currency, to revitalize the local economy.

The entrance celebration fund targets infants and students who are registered residents of Geoje City as of the enrollment date and are enrolling for the first time in daycare centers, kindergartens, or elementary schools.

Daycare entrants can apply when changing their childcare allowance to a social service voucher for daycare fees, while kindergarten entrants and new elementary students can apply through the city website or local community service centers after March, aligned with each school’s enrollment date, and the funds will be deposited into their accounts.

Additionally, the city will carry out various projects to make Geoje a child-friendly city, including the 2022 Geoje Children’s Culture and Tourism Experience Card distribution, support for local daycare vehicle operation costs, open daycare work allowances, and eco-friendly agricultural product support for pregnant women.

About 20 new projects will also be launched, such as increasing the honorary allowance for families of independence activists by 50,000 KRW, providing Yellow Umbrella Hope Incentives for small businesses and self-employed individuals, and supporting agricultural subsidies.

Mayor Byeon Gwang-yong said, “We support and encourage the new steps of enlisting soldiers and students entering school,” adding, “We hope this will be a small driving force on their unfamiliar yet exciting journey of new beginnings.”