What Is the Secret Behind Seongdong-gu Tying for First Place in Total Fertility Rate Among Seoul Districts?

According to Statistics Korea, the total fertility rate in Seongdong-gu was 0.72 in 2022, tying for first place among Seoul's autonomous districts.

Ranked first among Seoul's autonomous districts for four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020, and second in 2021, maintaining a top-tier position.

Children happily engaging in activities at a daycare center in Seongdong-gu

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that it achieved a total fertility rate of 0.72, tying for first place among Seoul's autonomous districts in the era of low birth rates.

According to the population trend survey released by Statistics Korea on the 22nd, Seongdong-gu's provisional total fertility rate for 2022 was 0.72, significantly exceeding the Seoul average of 0.59, ranking joint first among the 25 autonomous districts of Seoul.

The total fertility rate is an indicator representing the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime. Seongdong-gu has maintained a top-tier position among Seoul's autonomous districts, ranking first for four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020 and second in 2021.

Additionally, the crude birth rate, which refers to the number of births per 1,000 people, was 6.4 in Seongdong-gu according to the 2021 Statistics Korea national statistics, significantly surpassing the national average of 5.1. The district has maintained the highest crude birth rate among Seoul's autonomous districts for five consecutive years since 2017.

Seongdong-gu is making efforts to develop various childbirth and childcare policies and improve childcare services. First, the household care service for pregnant women was expanded from 6 times last year to 7 times this year. Also, starting in January, a new postpartum care cost support program was introduced, providing a universal support of 500,000 KRW per childbirth household regardless of income level.

From the second half of the year, the district plans to implement the 'Seoul-type Household Service Support Project' and the 'Mom and Dad Taxi Support Project' as part of the Seoul Mom and Dad Happiness Project. These initiatives aim to reduce the burden of household chores related to childbirth, improve transportation convenience, and foster a social atmosphere where parents can raise children with peace of mind.

Furthermore, with the stable operation of public daycare centers, the utilization rate of public daycare centers reached 68%, ranking first among Seoul's autonomous districts. In addition, the district continues to expand public childcare infrastructure by opening the Seongdong Child Love Complex Cultural Center and Seoul Forest Complex Cultural Center, and reopening the remodeled Geumho Kids Cafe in January.

The district provides a special activity fee of 30,000 KRW per child to all children enrolled in daycare centers and has extended the support period to 12 months this year. Besides supporting daycare center operating expenses, heating and cooling costs, and meal expenses, the district also generously supports improvements in childcare staff treatment, including salary improvements, longevity allowances, and holiday allowances.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “From pregnancy to childcare, responsibility should not rest solely on individual families but be achieved through a dense and safe care system.” He added, “We will continue to spare no support to make Seongdong a good place to have and raise children through tailored projects.”

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