Gyeonggi Province Doubles Medical Expense Support for Premature Infants and Expands Diaper and Formula Aid Eligibility

To address the increasing number of high-risk newborns due to delayed marriages, Gyeonggi Province will raise the medical expense support limits for premature and congenitally ill infants starting this year. In addition, the province will expand eligibility for essential childcare items such as diapers and infant formula.

On January 11, Gyeonggi Provincial Government announced that the support limit for premature infants, previously set between 3 million and 10 million won depending on birth weight, has been significantly increased to between 4 million and 20 million won as of January 2026. In particular, extremely low birth weight infants (under 1kg) can now receive up to 20 million won, double the previous amount, ensuring the right to health for infants and young children who require urgent treatment, regardless of household income.

Eligible recipients are premature infants born before 37 weeks of gestation or with a birth weight under 2.5kg, who are admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit and receive treatment or surgery within 24 hours of birth.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

The maximum support for medical expenses for infants with congenital anomalies has also been raised from 5 million to 7 million won. This assistance is available to those diagnosed with a congenital anomaly (Q code) within two years of birth and who undergo surgery during a hospital stay within two years of birth to treat the condition.

Additionally, to reduce the childcare cost burden on families facing financial difficulties, the province has significantly eased the eligibility criteria for the 'Low-Income Family Diaper and Infant Formula Support Program.'

This program provides a monthly voucher worth 90,000 won for diaper purchases for infants under two years of age, and, for those unable to breastfeed, an additional voucher worth 110,000 won per month for the purchase of infant formula.

Yoo Youngcheol, Director of Health and Wellness at Gyeonggi Provincial Government, stated, "This expansion of support is a nationwide initiative aimed at building a comprehensive social safety net to ensure that families wishing to have children do not have to give up on treatment or childcare due to financial reasons. The expansion of medical expense support and essential childcare supplies will help create a healthy environment for childrearing and serve as a foundation for reversing the declining birth rate."