Seoul City Promotes Customized 'Seoul-Style Housework Service' for Pregnant Women, Dual-Income Families, and Multi-Child Households

Reducing Household Chores Burden to Support Work-Family Balance

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] On the 19th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that as part of the 'Mom and Dad Happiness Project' to create a child-friendly city in Seoul, it will promote the 'Seoul-type Household Service' support project for pregnant women, dual-income families, and families with multiple children.

This reflects the voices of actual moms and dads heard while preparing the 'Mom and Dad Happiness Project' last year, where families with pregnancy and childbirth said, "Household chores are difficult," and families with infants and toddlers said, "There is a lack of personal time due to childcare."

The 'Seoul-type Household Service' support project aims to reduce the burden of household chores and support work-family balance by helping with housework such as cleaning, dishwashing, and laundry so that moms and dads can spend more time with their children after work, with a total investment of 5.46 billion KRW.

It provides vouchers for 13,000 households of pregnant women, dual-income families, and families with multiple children living in Seoul with an income below 150% of the median income standard, allowing each household to use household services 6 times (4 hours per session, unit price about 70,000 KRW).

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that to fully promote the 'Seoul-type Household Service' support project, it will recruit capable service operators to provide household services in all 25 autonomous districts. The announcement will be posted on the Seoul city website from the 22nd to the 8th of next month, and applications will be accepted for two days from the 7th to the 8th of next month.

Service operators will be selected within five regions (Downtown, Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast), with up to five companies chosen. Applicants can indicate their preferred regions from first to third choice on the application form and submit a proposal along with their service operation plan.

The selection process will first conduct on-site and quantitative evaluations, and then the Subsidy Deliberation Committee will comprehensively review and examine the written materials submitted at the time of application, such as the project proposal, before making the final selection.

The selected operators will work with the city to select users of the 'Seoul-type Household Service,' match household helpers, provide household services, and operate a call center for customer service. Since cooperation with operators is crucial during the pilot project, the city plans to work closely with them from before the project launch to ensure thorough preparation.

Applications can be submitted by downloading the application forms (announcement, proposal, etc., one copy each) from the Seoul city website, filling them out, and then visiting or emailing them to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Family and Multicultural Affairs Office (9th floor, Seoul City Hall).

Kim Seonsun, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women and Family Policy Office, said, "We are preparing the 'Seoul-type Household Service' for pregnant women, dual-income families, and families with multiple children so that moms and dads struggling with childcare and housework can have a little more free time to spend with their children." She added, "We hope many capable companies will apply to operate the 'Seoul-type Household Service' pilot project this year."