Seoul Invests 8.2 Trillion Won in Low-Birth-Rate Efforts Over Four Years... Expands 'Family' Support

Investing 8.2 trillion won since 2022, benefiting 8 million people

Expanding the ninth administration's "Seoul Child Companion Project"

Three pillars: supporting birth, childcare and families

Oh Sehoon: "We will make Seoul a happy place for children and families"

Seoul Metropolitan Government's financial support for infertility treatment has helped more than 32,000 babies be born over the four years since 2022. Over the same period, cumulative visits to Seoul-style Kids Cafes exceeded 2.52 million, while 7,108 units of Mirinae House, a housing program for newlyweds, were supplied from 2024 through September this year.

On the morning of the 10th, Seoul Metropolitan Government held a briefing at Seoul Gallery to share the results of its policies to address the low birth rate. It also unveiled the vision for the ninth popularly elected administration's Seoul Child Companion Project, alongside the results of its low birth rate policies over the past four years.

Vision for the 9th popularly elected administration's "Seoul Child Companion Project," unveiled by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 10. Seoul Metropolitan Government

Since 2022, Seoul Metropolitan Government has invested about 8.2 trillion won in policies to address the low birth rate, benefiting 8 million people. In 2022, the city announced the Mommy and Daddy Happiness Project, focused on easing the burden on parents, and introduced flagship programs such as Seoul-style Kids Cafes and the Seoul-style Grandchild Care Allowance. In 2024, it broadened its support to include housing and work-life balance through Birth Encouragement Seoul Projects 1 and 2, launching new programs such as Mirinae House and More Beautiful Weddings.

The results of these policies are reflected in the figures. From January to August this year, the number of births and marriages in Seoul rose 17.6% and 11.9%, respectively, compared with the same period last year, the highest growth rates among the country's cities and provinces. The total fertility rate has also risen for three consecutive years, substantially exceeding the government's estimates.

In response, Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to expand its policies to address the low birth rate during the ninth popularly elected administration. The main focus is to strengthen support for pregnancy and childbirth, expand access to childcare, play and learning environments suited to each stage of a child's development, and support families across all aspects of life, including marriage, housing, and work-life balance.

First, the "Birth" initiative focuses on easing the financial burden of pregnancy and childbirth. Since 2023, the city has successively abolished income eligibility criteria and limits on the number of treatments covered under its infertility treatment support program. It helps ease financial burdens during pregnancy through transportation subsidies for pregnant women and after childbirth through Seoul-style postpartum care expense support. The city also plans to introduce tiered support based on the number of children this year.

In the "Childcare" initiative, the city is strengthening play, meal and childcare services that are part of children's daily lives to support their development. It also includes measures to reduce gaps in care that arise before parents go to work and during school vacations. Seoul Children's Hearty Meals, which was launched last summer at 226 community child centers and Our Neighborhood Kium Centers, has been selected by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for nationwide implementation. From December, when winter vacation begins, the program will expand to 243 centers and extend its meal support through the evening.

The plan also includes support for everything from wedding preparations and housing stability to caregiving within families. To ensure that newlyweds do not hesitate to start a new life or leave Seoul because of housing concerns, the city plans to supply an additional 17,500 Mirinae House units by 2030.

Urban spaces across Seoul, including parks, hanok houses and museums, will be made available as wedding venues. More Beautiful Weddings, a program that helps couples plan weddings in their preferred locations and styles, currently offers a total of 61 venues.

At the event, Mayor Oh also spoke with residents who had personally used Seoul's policies to address the low birth rate. They discussed the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth, the burden of raising and caring for children, and grandparents' experiences caring for their grandchildren. Mayor Oh also heard their thoughts on using the programs and their views on where additional support was needed. "Through the Seoul Child Companion Project, we will provide financial support while expanding environments where children can play to their hearts' content and helping families balance work and childcare," he said.

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