Gwangju City Significantly Increases Financial Support for Infertile Couples' Treatment Costs

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 17th that starting this month, it is providing support for infertility treatment costs up to 1.5 million KRW per session, up to 4 times a year, for those who have exhausted the number of infertility treatments covered by health insurance.

This project is for infertile couples who have used up all existing government support, and those who have exceeded 180% of the median income and have exhausted the number of health insurance-covered treatments can also receive support.

Considering the protection of women's health rights, there is a limit of 4 times per year, but support is possible without a lifetime limit, allowing infertile couples to have hope and continue their efforts.

Those who wish to receive support should bring proof of exhaustion of health insurance-covered treatments and visit the public health center in their residential jurisdiction.

Those who paid out-of-pocket for infertility treatments after exhausting health insurance coverage between January and February can also receive retroactive support.

This expansion of infertility support was achieved after a proposal titled “Reducing the Economic Burden of Those Who Have Exhausted the Number of Infertility Treatments Covered by Health Insurance” received great public sympathy on ‘Baro Sotong Gwangju,’ a platform operated by Gwangju City last November, leading to the opening of a discussion forum and, following policy recommendations from the Citizens’ Rights Committee, Gwangju City promptly launched the support project.

In particular, during the discussion process, Mayor Lee Yong-seop unusually expressed his regret through Facebook, stating, “We cannot ignore the desperate situation of infertile couples who are willing to endure economic burdens and psychological and physical pain just to have a child,” drawing significant attention.

Accordingly, Gwangju City signed a business agreement with the Gwangju Oriental Medicine Association in January and started a support project for Oriental medicine infertility treatment costs with an investment of 123 million KRW.

The Oriental medicine infertility treatment support project, involving 39 Oriental medicine hospitals and clinics in the area, is a specialized treatment program that induces natural pregnancy for infertile couples through herbal medicine and acupuncture treatments tailored to individual constitutions and health conditions.

Going forward, Gwangju City plans to form and support self-help groups where infertile couples can communicate, and operate programs that provide infertility-related information to help alleviate the psychological burden of infertile couples.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, “After reading the heartfelt posts of infertile couples on the city’s policy proposal platform last November, I promised support to ensure that no one is unable to have children due to economic conditions,” and added, “I hope this support will help infertile couples to healthily embrace their precious children.”

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