Gwangju Unveils Livelihood Package as a "Lunar New Year Gift" to Ease Transport and Childcare Costs

Up to 20% Cashback on Sangsaeng Card, Expanded Transportation Support
Congratulatory Card for Newborns... Enhanced Child Allowance and Care Services
Job-Seeking and Housing Support for Young People Aged 19 to 39

Youth Job Savings Program... Encouraging Asset Building and Long-Term Employment
Expanded Eligibility and Services for the "Gwangjudaum Integrated Care Service"
Package of Everyday, Life-Focused Policies... Stronger Impact on Citizens' Daily Lives

Gwangju City is rolling out a series of "Gwangju-style livelihood policies" to ease the burden of transportation, living, and childcare costs. The city has bundled together policies that citizens can immediately feel in their daily lives, including Sangsaeng Check Card cashback, public transportation subsidies, support for households with newborns, and job-seeking allowances for young people.

Gwangju City is operating a range of everyday, life-focused policies such as discounts on the Gwangju Sangsaeng Card, the Gwangju-style Public Transportation Fare Support G(G)-Pass, the Congratulatory Sangsaeng Card for Households with Newborns, the Gwangju Youth Job-Seeking Allowance, Youth-Customized Rental Housing Deposit Interest Support, the Gwangju-style Youth Job Savings Program, and the Gwangjudaum Integrated Care Service.

Image of Gwangju City's "Gwangju-style Livelihood Package," introduced ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, featuring Sangsaeng Card discounts, transportation subsidies, and policies on childbirth, youth, and caregiving. Provided by Gwangju City.

The Gwangju Sangsaeng Card provides a constant 10% discount (cashback) on the payment amount when purchasing or recharging the card, up to 500,000 won per person per month. Until February 28, if users pay with the Sangsaeng Check Card at affiliated stores located near the Phase 1 construction section of Subway Line 2, they can receive an additional 10% post-cashback on the payment amount, for a maximum refund benefit of 20%.

The "Gwangju-style Public Transportation Fare Support G(G)-Pass" adds an integrated refund system for adult users, linked to the central government's "Card for Everyone," on top of free rides for children and half-price fares for teenagers. The system automatically applies whichever of the two schemes offers the higher refund. Gwangju City has expanded transportation support by including citizens aged 35 to 39 within the youth category.

Support for childbirth and childcare has also been strengthened. Starting this year, each child born in Gwangju will receive a "Congratulatory Sangsaeng Card for Households with Newborns" loaded with 500,000 won per person. Eligible recipients are children born in Gwangju on or after January 1, 2025. For firstborn children, applications can be made immediately after birth, and for second-born and subsequent children, applications can be made from the day they turn one year old. Those eligible to apply are the parents or other persons entitled to file a birth registration, and they must have been continuously registered as residents in Gwangju from three months prior to the child's date of birth.

The age limit for the child allowance has been raised to under 9 years old, and the monthly payment amount has been increased to 105,000 won. The eligibility threshold for the child care service has been expanded to households with up to 250% of the median income, and usage fees are subsidized on a sliding scale according to income level. The hourly care fee paid to child care helpers has also been raised from 10,590 won to 11,120 won.

Youth policies are also included. The "Gwangju Youth Job-Seeking Allowance" provides unemployed young people aged 19 to 39 with 500,000 won per month for up to six months, for a total of 3 million won, and is accompanied by programs such as job/entrepreneurship preparation and job competency enhancement. Young people who successfully find employment or start a business during the program period receive an additional 500,000 won as an employment success allowance.

The "Youth-Customized Rental Housing Deposit Interest Support Program" reduces the interest burden on deposit loans for jeonse and monthly rent for young people without homes to around 0.5%. Gwangju City selects the beneficiaries, Kwangju Bank executes the loans, and the Korea Housing Finance Corporation provides a 100% guarantee for the loan principal.

The "Gwangju-style Youth Job Savings Program" for young employees of local small and medium-sized enterprises helps them build assets of 10 million won at maturity. If a young worker remains with the company for a certain period and saves 5 million won, the company and Gwangju City jointly contribute additional funds.

The "Gwangjudaum Integrated Care Service" has expanded its eligibility criteria to households with up to 160% of the median income. In cases of sudden accidents or illness, the program provides tailored care services such as household chores, meal support, and accompaniment, and starting this year, it also includes home-visit medication guidance services by pharmacists.