Seoul's Total Fertility Rate Ranks High for 3 Consecutive Years Due to Various Low Birthrate Policies... Implementation of Diverse Support Programs to Encourage Childbirth Among Internal Employees
South Korea's severe low birthrate issue is dominating newspaper pages daily, and as the school-age population cliff continues, some are raising concerns about the extinction of local populations.
In response, Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) is implementing various low birthrate countermeasures to create an environment favorable for residents to have and raise children. As a result, the district has recorded a high fertility rate ranking among the top in Seoul for three consecutive years.
Gangdong-gu's birth policies start by considering what parents raising children need and are developing and promoting unique policies tailored to the district.
Differentiated Policies to Encourage Birthrate
First, the district is promoting the ‘Gangdong-type Teacher-to-Child Ratio Improvement Project,’ reducing the number of children per daycare teacher below the legal standard. This has led to qualitative improvements in childcare services and better working conditions for teachers, providing practical support for caregiving environments.
Additionally, in August last year, the district published the ‘Mom Comfortable World’ booklet, which organizes information from marriage to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, and education at a glance, allowing parents to use it as a childcare guide.
Gangdong-gu also operates the nation's first directly managed children's cafeteria. The Gangdong Children's Cafeteria offers children a nutritious and healthy dinner for only 2,500 won. After meals, children can socialize and participate in programs with the support of on-site caregivers, earning high praise from parents.
Active Support Programs for Infants and Toddlers
The district also actively runs support programs for younger infants and toddlers.
The ‘I-Mom Taxi’ program provides premium taxi vouchers (worth 100,000 won) for families with children under 24 months for outings. Gangdong-gu has been operating this program since 2021, and due to positive resident feedback, Seoul City has benchmarked it under the name ‘Seoul Mom and Dad Taxi’ and expanded it to all autonomous districts starting this year.
Moreover, the district operates a total of eight Seoul-type kids cafes called ‘I-Mom Gangdong,’ offering affordable fees, play activities, and childcare. Starting with ‘I-Mom Gangdong Seongnae Branch’ in 2019, Gangdong-gu has been a pioneer in operating these cafes and converted them to Seoul-type kids cafes this year. The district plans to expand to a total of 19 locations, one per neighborhood, by 2026.
The ‘Toy Repair Center,’ which received great response from residents during its pilot operation in August last year, officially started operation on January 2 this year and is expected to reduce the economic burden on parents in this era of high inflation.
Active Implementation of Various Policies to Encourage Birth Among Internal Staff
The district also actively supports birth encouragement policies for its internal staff.
First, the district strongly encourages the use of special leave such as infertility treatment leave, family care leave, and childcare time according to the local government employee service regulations, allowing eligible employees to freely use these leaves.
Pregnant employees receive convenience items such as electromagnetic wave blocking blankets and functional cushions, and are exempted from night shifts from pregnancy until one year after childbirth, ensuring stable working conditions during pregnancy and childbirth.
Additionally, when an employee's child is born, the district provides childbirth support funds of 200,000 won for the first child, 600,000 won for the second child, and up to 3 million won for the third child. For the third child, an additional 300,000 won is provided annually until the child turns five.
This year, a new marriage congratulatory allowance of 100,000 won was established for employees who get married.
Other policies include ▲‘Pregnancy Checkup Leave’ allowing spouses to accompany pregnant employees for checkups ▲mandatory use of ‘Childbirth Leave’ (10 days, 15 days for multiple births) for spouses at childbirth ▲and the introduction of ‘Educational Guidance Time’ for childcare public officials with children aged 6 to 8 to flexibly guide their children.
Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, “The increasingly serious low birthrate problem is a challenge that the nation and society must solve together. Gangdong-gu will continue to expand various support measures to create an environment where residents and employees can marry, give birth, and raise children without burdens.”
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