Groundbreaking for Eunhasu Land and Public Postnatal Care Center
A Wide-Area Joint Usage Model Involving Andong, Cheongsong, and Bonghwa
Yeongyang County has officially begun establishing a key hub to expand childbirth and childcare infrastructure in the northern region of North Gyeongsang Province. On the 27th, Yeongyang County announced that it held a groundbreaking ceremony for the “Eunhasu Land and Public Postnatal Care Center,” which will serve as the central facility for childbirth and childcare infrastructure in the northern region, in the Yongsang-dong area, marking the start of the project.
This project secured its foundation by being selected for the “Interlocal Government Joint and Cooperative Promotion Project,” organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and obtaining a special grant of 5 billion won. The initiative received high praise for addressing the issue of low birth rates through collaboration between regions experiencing population decline.
In particular, Yeongyang County and Andong City entered into a joint investment and operation agreement, and Andong, Yeongyang, Cheongsong, and Bonghwa all signed a joint usage agreement, thereby concretizing a wide-area cooperative model for childbirth infrastructure in the northern region. This move is significant as it establishes a cooperative response system based on living zones, going beyond policies centered on individual local governments.
The facility will be developed as a multi-purpose care space with one basement floor and four above-ground floors, totaling a gross floor area of 3,360 square meters. Eunhasu Land, occupying the first and second floors, will house a library and play-care facilities to provide experiential and care services for infants and young children. The public postnatal care center, located on the third and fourth floors, will be equipped with a neonatal room and 14 mother-child rooms to support postpartum recovery for mothers and health management for newborns.
Until now, Yeongyang County has suffered from low accessibility to medical and care services due to a lack of postnatal care and postpartum management facilities, causing inconvenience for residents. This project is expected to alleviate the financial burden on families with newborns, strengthen health management for mothers and infants, and have a positive impact on improving the overall childbirth environment in the northern region.
Furthermore, by establishing a joint usage system, the accessibility of services for residents of neighboring cities and counties will improve, which is expected to have ripple effects in addressing population decline, enhancing residential conditions, and increasing the birth rate.
A Yeongyang County official stated, “Eunhasu Land and the Public Postnatal Care Center are core facilities that will elevate the level of childbirth and childcare infrastructure in the northern region,” adding, “We will do our utmost to ensure the project is stably established as a regional hub facility.” The facility is scheduled to be developed in phases, with the aim of completion in the first half of 2027.
This project is particularly meaningful as a practical response to the reality in the northern region, where residents have had to move to large cities due to insufficient childbirth infrastructure. The structure of joint investment and shared usage among local governments is being recognized as a realistic solution for areas experiencing population decline. If operational stability and service quality can be secured in the future, it is highly likely that this project will become a central pillar in strengthening the residential competitiveness of the northern region.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
