Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province is working to create a city that is ideal for raising children by providing more comprehensive support from pre-pregnancy to childbirth and childcare.
According to Bucheon City on May 12, the city offers free pre-pregnancy health checkups for couples preparing for their first pregnancy, including engaged and newly married couples. This is a new initiative launched this year, providing a total of 31 basic tests such as rubella, hepatitis B, liver function, anemia, blood sugar, and urinalysis. Each individual is eligible for the checkup once.
In addition, the city provides up to 3 million won in medical expenses for pregnant women who have been hospitalized for high-risk pregnancy conditions. For households with a newborn under one year old, the city provides 500,000 won per newborn in local currency.
Bucheon also operates the "Mom Comfortable Taxi" service, a transportation service designed to help pregnant women use hospitals conveniently and safely. Pregnant women registered as residents in Bucheon can use this service up to four times per month from pregnancy until one year after childbirth. After submitting documents proving pregnancy to the Bucheon City Transportation Support Center for the Mobility Impaired and registering as a user, they can request a ride by calling the call center (1588-3815), and the nearest vehicle will be dispatched. Up to 13,000 won per ride is subsidized.
Other support measures include pre-pregnancy health management, Korean medicine infertility treatment, eco-friendly agricultural product support for pregnant women, and the First Meeting Voucher. Through these comprehensive programs, from pregnancy preparation to post-childbirth, the city aims to create conditions where parents and children can meet in better health.
The city is also ramping up efforts to create a seamless childcare environment in daily life through demand-tailored childcare services.
First, the "365-day hourly childcare" service is being operated at Aram Daycare Center. Except for New Year's Day, Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, Buddha's Birthday, and Christmas, the service is available from 9 a.m. to 9 a.m. the following day on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and public holidays, operating 365 days a year. Up to five preschool children aged from six months to seven years can use the service regardless of whether they are enrolled at the daycare center. The fee is 3,000 won per hour, and each child can use up to 80 hours per month.
The city also offers the "Childcare Support Service," which provides in-home care for families experiencing a childcare gap. There are full-day services for infants aged three months to 36 months, and hourly services for children aged three months to 12 years. The amount of government support and out-of-pocket expenses varies according to household income.
For elementary school students who need care after school, the "Together Care Center" is currently operating at nine locations. Each center provides a variety of after-school programs, including academic guidance, cultural and artistic activities, and snacks. During the school term, the centers are open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and during school vacations, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The city plans to open two additional centers this year.
A Bucheon City official stated, "We will carefully develop and implement support policies that can provide practical help from pregnancy to childbirth and childcare."
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