Number of Babies Born in Seoul Increases for 26 Consecutive Months... “Thanks to the Life Cycle Support System”

Systematic Support from Pregnancy and Childbirth to Parenting
‘Seoul Child Empathy Talk’ with 100 Parents
“Implementing Policies That Citizens Can Truly Feel”

The number of newborns in Seoul has increased for 26 consecutive months.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on August 3, a total of 4,227 babies were born in Seoul this past May, representing a 17.7% increase compared to the same month last year. As a result, the number of births in Seoul has continued its upward trend for 26 straight months since April 2024.

The cumulative number of newborns from January to May this year also rose by 18% year-on-year. The number of marriages during this period increased by 11.1%, marking the highest growth rate among the 17 metropolitan and provincial regions across the nation.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government emphasized that its comprehensive low-birth-rate initiative, the "Birth-Support Seoul Project," has been the driving force behind this change. With the goal of becoming a "city ideal for raising children," the city established a support system that spans the entire life cycle from pregnancy and childbirth to childrearing.

Various policies are being implemented, including "A More Beautiful Wedding," which provides support for prospective couples' weddings; transportation subsidies for pregnant women; Seoul-style postpartum care expenses; grandparent care allowances; and Seoul-style kids' cafés.

Currently, the city operates 61 venues, including Namsan Hannam Wedding Garden, as venues for "A More Beautiful Wedding." This year, the number of wedding ceremonies has soared more than sevenfold compared to the project's inaugural year in 2023.

Since March, Seoul has expanded transportation subsidies for pregnant women and support for Seoul-style postpartum care expenses for families with a second child or more, thereby reducing the burden of childrearing. As of now, there are 232 Seoul-style kids' cafés in operation, with the cumulative number of children using these facilities surpassing 2.18 million.

In addition, on the morning of August 3, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will host the "Seoul Child Empathy Talk" at the Seoul Gallery at City Hall with 100 parents, including pregnant women and caregivers of infants and toddlers. This event is an opportunity for citizens to share their real-life experiences, concerns, and feedback regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare, as well as their use of the city's policies to address the low birth rate.

This event has been organized to celebrate reaching 130,000 participants in the city’s flagship reading support program, "Mom’s Book Rise." "Mom’s Book Rise" is a reading support initiative that provides parenting books, picture books, and information on Seoul's childcare policies to expectant parents and families with infants and toddlers. With the theme "Every Moment of Meeting and Raising a Child," the Empathy Talk will allow participants to share and relate to each other's experiences.

Additionally, child caregivers who have utilized policies such as the Seoul-style kids' cafés and grandparent care allowances will share firsthand accounts, enabling the city to capture voices and opinions directly from the field.

Chaesook Ma, Director-General for Women and Family at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "The consecutive 26-month rise in the number of newborns in Seoul marks the beginning of a transformation created together with citizens. We will continue to implement policies to address the low birth rate in ways that citizens can truly feel, making Seoul a better city for having and raising children."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.