Did the Jeonnam Birth Basic Allowance Lead to a Recovery in the Birth Rate?

First in the Nation Introduced Last Year
Monthly Support of 200,000 Won Until Age 18
Total Fertility Rate of 1.13 in the First Quarter
Higher Than the National Average of 0.82

The recent Jeonnam Province Birth Basic Allowance meeting site. Provided by Jeonnam Province

On June 2, Jeonnam Province announced that the "Jeonnam Province-City and County Birth Basic Allowance," introduced for the first time in the nation, has become firmly established in the field with strong support from families with newborns just five months after its implementation, leading to a tangible change in the recovery of the birth rate.

According to Jeonnam Province, based on Statistics Korea data, the total fertility rate in Jeonnam for the first quarter of this year is 1.13. This is 0.31 higher than the national average of 0.82. The cumulative number of births from January to March was 2,231, representing a 6.5% increase compared to the same period last year.

These birth indicators are seen as a continuation of the reversal in the low birth trend, with last year's total fertility rate (1.03, the highest in the nation) recovering to the 1.0 range. The anticipation for the Birth Basic Allowance, which has been prepared since last year, is believed to have had an impact.

The Birth Basic Allowance, which provides 200,000 won per month to children born in Jeonnam since last year, totaling 43.2 million won until the age of 18, is a "field-centered, demand-centered" policy. It reflects the childcare burden after school age, which was directly raised by experts and parents during the policy preparation stage.

By overcoming the limitations of previous one-time support focused on infancy, the long-term and regular policy design that considers the entire process of child growth has been effective. It is credited with helping to create a childbirth-friendly atmosphere and shifting perceptions toward the idea that "the local community raises children together."

Kim Myungshin, Director of the Population and Youth Immigration Bureau of Jeonnam Province, stated, "The Birth Basic Allowance is more than just a cash benefit; it carries the message that 'families and the community raise children together.' Going forward, we will actively propose a national system of responsibility for childbirth and childcare so that more children and families can benefit, regardless of local conditions."