"Get 100 Million Won for Childbirth"…Incheon City's Bold Announcement Sparks Buzz in Incheon Community

Additional 28 Million KRW to Existing 72 Million KRW
Criticism That Cash Support Fails to Affect Birth Rate

Since Incheon City announced that it will provide over 100 million won in support to every child born in Incheon until they reach the age of 18 starting next year, the Incheon local community has been abuzz daily. While the overall response is largely positive, some have pointed out that instead of financial support, an environment where children can be raised should be created.

On the 23rd, posts appeared daily on Incheon local mom cafes and other communities saying, "I hope any policy can help increase the birth rate a bit," and "I raised my child without support for pregnant women, but I hope more babies are born even if it means providing this support." On the other hand, some netizens criticized, "Who would have children just because of immediate financial support? Children will be born only if an environment where already born children can be well raised is created."

Earlier, on the 18th, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok announced the '100 Million Plus i Dream (1억+i dream)' policy at the city hall briefing room. Starting next year, this policy will provide uninterrupted support throughout all growth stages until the age of 18 for newborns born in Incheon, making it the first of its kind nationwide.

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok announcing the 100 million plus iDream policy.
[Photo by Incheon City]

In addition to existing support such as 1 million won for pregnancy and childbirth medical expenses, 2 million won 'First Meeting Voucher' given to newborns upon birth registration, 1 million won monthly parental allowance, 100,000 won monthly child allowance, 25.4 million won for childcare and meal expenses, and 16.5 million won for elementary to high school education expenses, additional benefits supported exclusively by Incheon City will be provided.

First, 500,000 won will be provided as points on the local currency Eum Card under the name of transportation expenses for pregnant women. From the child's first birthday, a total of 8.4 million won will be given over 7 years at 100,000 won per month as the 'Angel Support Fund,' and children aged 8 to 18 will receive a total of 19.8 million won as the 'Child Dream Allowance' at 150,000 won per month.

To address the issue of children born just a few years earlier missing out on support, Incheon City decided to partially support children born before 2023. Children born between 2016 and 2019 will receive 50,000 won monthly totaling 6.6 million won starting next year, and those born between 2020 and 2023 will receive 100,000 won monthly totaling 13.2 million won starting from the year they turn 8.

Incheon City introduced these measures due to the increasingly severe decline in birth rates. Incheon’s total fertility rate last year was 0.75, ranking third lowest among metropolitan areas after Seoul (0.59) and Busan (0.72).

The budget allocated by Incheon City for the i Dream policy next year is 40.4 billion won. The city estimates 14,000 recipients for the Angel Support Fund and 25,000 recipients for the Child Dream Allowance next year.

Some view the cash support provided regardless of each household’s asset size as 'populism.' Considering that the government has invested a budget amounting to 380 trillion won from 2006 to this year, but the birth rate is expected to decline further this year, it is argued that cash support does not directly lead to an increase in birth rates.

Taking these opinions into account, Incheon City plans to focus on expanding childcare infrastructure by significantly increasing the number of public daycare centers in addition to cash support.

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