Sokcho City Invests 27 Billion Won to Become a "City That Is Good for Having and Raising Children"

Focusing Administrative Efforts on Policies That Benefit Children, Parents, and Childcare Staff
Plans for Integrated Childcare Support Center Becoming Concrete... Targeting Completion by 2028

Sokcho City in Gangwon Province will invest 27 billion won in childcare projects this year, accelerating its efforts to become a "city that is good for having and raising children."

View of Sokcho City Hall.

The city plans to expand support for infants and toddlers, childcare staff, and childcare facilities overall, aiming to reduce the burden on parents and further improve the quality of the childcare environment.

A total of 16.7 billion won will be allocated for childcare fees and allowances for infants and toddlers, while 8.7 billion won will be used for salaries and improved working conditions for childcare staff. An additional 1.6 billion won will be invested in the operation of daycare centers, including heating and cooling costs, as well as teaching materials and equipment, to support stable operations.

To promote healthy growth for infants and toddlers and improve meal quality, the city will significantly increase meal subsidies provided outside the basic childcare fee range from the previous 6,000 won per month to 14,000 won per month, encouraging daycare centers to offer higher-quality meals. Special activity support for children attending daycare centers will also be raised from 30,000 won to 40,000 won per month, alleviating the financial burden on guardians.

The city will also strengthen the system for improving the working conditions of childcare staff. The incentive allowance for homeroom teachers at daycare centers will be increased from 80,000 won to 100,000 won per month, aiming to boost morale among childcare teachers and ensure the provision of stable childcare services.

In addition, the city will designate one more public daycare center, expanding the infrastructure of childcare services that are both public and trustworthy. Environmental improvement projects will be carried out for aging daycare center facilities to create a more pleasant and safer childcare environment. Furthermore, the city plans to reinforce the safety net at childcare sites by supporting group enrollment in the Safety Mutual Aid Association to prepare for daycare center accidents.

Meanwhile, plans for the establishment of an integrated childcare support center are becoming more concrete. To facilitate smooth progress, the city has collected opinions from related institutions and organizations, such as daycare centers, and is currently visiting outstanding facilities like children's culture centers and play experience centers. This year, the city will conduct a project planning study and, if possible, begin the detailed design phase, with the goal of completing the center by 2028.

Once the project is completed, it is expected that Sokcho will be able to provide even more meticulous and systematic support throughout the entire process from childbirth to postpartum care and childcare, in conjunction with the Sokcho Public Postnatal Care Center, which opened at the end of last year and is currently operating successfully.

Lee Byungseon, Mayor of Sokcho, stated, "Sokcho City will not slow down in its efforts to become a city that is good for having and raising children in 2026, maintaining a relentless pace," adding, "We will do our utmost to provide practical support and develop and implement policies so that children, parents, and childcare staff can all feel the difference in Sokcho."