Birth Incentive Allowances Vary Across Gyeonggi Towns and Cities

Birth incentive allowances across municipalities in Gyeonggi Province vary widely, raising fairness concerns.

Depending on the region, residents receive 1 million won in support when having a child, but in some areas no payment is made at all, drawing complaints from residents.

According to Gyeonggi Province and others on the 20th, Yangpyeong County provides 1 million won in birth incentive allowance for a third child and 100,000 won monthly for one year in child-rearing support. Additionally, all newborns receive shopping vouchers worth 350,000 won for childcare products.

Hwaseong City provides 500,000 won for a second child and 1 million won for a third child as birth incentive allowances, while Icheon City provides 1 million won in birth incentive allowance starting from the third child.

Other municipalities offer 500,000 won in Uiwang City, 300,000 won in Yeoju County, and 200,000 won in Gapyeong County for third child birth incentives.

However, Suwon City does not provide birth incentive allowances; it only provides 200,000 won in childcare product shopping vouchers for families with three or more children. Uijongbu City and others also send birth incentive products instead of cash allowances.

As support varies significantly across municipalities, a resident named Kwon living in Suwon expressed frustration on the city government website, stating, "I was told there would be birth incentive allowances for a third child, so I inquired here and there, but apparently Suwon has no budget to provide them."

A citizen residing in Yongin also wrote, "When I had a third child, Yongin said my residency period did not meet the requirements and did not provide benefits, and Suwon, where I previously lived, offered no benefits either," adding "I was upset because of this absurd administrative situation."

Regarding this, a provincial official stated, "Birth incentive allowances are not a fundamental measure to increase the birth rate, so government-level measures such as reducing private education costs are necessary," and added, "We will guide birth incentive policies to maintain fairness."