Gim Jang-ho, Mayor of Gumi, "The Fundamental Solution to Low Birthrate is Creating a Family-Friendly Organizational Culture"

"Giving a Little More Money Won't Make People Have Children"
Balancing Work and Childcare, Prioritizing a Culture of Consideration and Social Consensus

Gumi City in Gyeongbuk Province is forming a Gumi-type Low Birthrate Countermeasure Task Force (TF) to overcome the low birthrate crisis. This initiative aims to establish a leading response at the city level following Gyeongbuk Province's declaration of a 'war against low birthrate.'

The Gumi-type Low Birthrate Countermeasure TF will organize teams focused on marriage, pregnancy and childbirth, childcare and education measures according to life cycles, as well as a team for organizational culture measures. It will primarily focus on discovering new policies such as the Gumi-type childbirth-friendly package and the 365 childcare and education package.

Mayor Kim Jang-ho, during the executive meeting on the 22nd, after receiving the proposal for the Gumi-type Low Birthrate Countermeasure TF, stated, “While expanding practical support to reduce the burden of childcare and education costs is important, the fundamental solution lies in establishing a family-friendly social consensus and a culture of consideration that supports balancing work and parenting.”

Plaque Ceremony for Advanced Certification of Child-Friendly City.

In particular, he emphasized, “Having children and raising them well is the top priority in preparing for Gumi City's future, and now, a public official who raises children well is a public official who works well,” calling for a radical change in the organizational culture of the city hall.

He also urged, “Starting with the public service community, making a family-friendly organizational culture should be the top priority, and efforts should be made to improve systems so that this can gradually spread from public institutions under the city to local companies.”

Mayor Kim instructed, “First, add two special leave days to the existing three days of family care leave under the mayor’s authority, and formalize flexible working hours during childcare periods, such as using childcare time and shortened work hours, making their use mandatory,” and “establish measures for selecting childbirth-friendly companies and discovering incentives, support employment of substitute workers to cover work gaps during parental leave in small and medium enterprises, and prepare childcare measures for self-employed individuals.”

Since the launch of the 8th local government, Gumi City has been dedicated to creating a child-friendly city by operating facilities such as the 365 Pediatric and Adolescent Medical Center, night daycare centers, 24-hour care centers, sick child care centers, and career and academic guidance centers. Going forward, the city plans to promote various educational projects including creating a marriage story cultural space at Gumi Station, opening a neonatal intensive care unit, establishing an education development special zone, and implementing academic improvement programs.

Additionally, in collaboration with the Gyeongbuk Research Institute, Gumi City plans to prepare Gumi-type low birthrate countermeasures reflecting diverse opinions through events such as a low birthrate overcoming ideathon competition, meetings by departments and bureaus, and in-depth discussions with policy target groups including full-time homemakers, working moms, and unmarried youth.

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