Gangnam-gu Supports Half of Childcare Service Costs for Upper-Middle Income Families

Budget of 10.1 Billion KRW Allocated... 50-100% of User Co-payment Supported

Gangnam-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) has allocated a budget of 10.1 billion KRW for the childcare service this year and will support more than 50% of the user’s co-payment. For households with a median income above 200%, which are excluded from government support, the district will also cover 50% of the costs to help alleviate childcare gaps.

Jongmyung Cho, Mayor of Gangnam District, is taking a commemorative photo with children from Yeonhwa Daycare Center. Provided by Gangnam District.

The childcare service is a system where professionally trained caregivers visit homes to take care of children under 12 years old in families experiencing childcare gaps due to dual-income parents, single-parent households, multiple children, illness, or schooling.

Through a matching budget from the national, city, and district governments, usage fees are subsidized, allowing families to use the service at an affordable cost. Last year, 4,583 households and 7,347 children in Gangnam-gu used this service.

Government Support Expanded from 150% to 200% of Income Standard... Over 200% Supported 50% by the District

Starting this year, the government’s childcare service support target has expanded from households with median income below 150% to those below 200%, reducing the user’s financial burden. Usage fee support is classified by income standards into types A (below 75% of median income), B (below 120%), C (below 150%), D (below 200%), and E (above 200%). Among these, households with income below 200% (for a family of three, 10,051,000 KRW) receive 15-85% support from government subsidies.

In addition, Gangnam-gu provides an extra 50-100% support on the user’s co-payment to ease childcare burdens. For type A, the hourly fee is 12,180 KRW; the government supports 85% (10,354 KRW per hour), and Gangnam-gu covers the remaining amount 100%, so the actual user co-payment is zero.

With this additional support, type B users pay only 487 KRW, type C 1,705 KRW, and type D 5,176 KRW. Households with income above 200% fall outside government support but receive 50% support from the district, reducing usage fees by half.

Utilizing Various Customized Services such as Full-day and Hourly Care

The childcare service is divided into infant full-day care, hourly care (basic/comprehensive), and support services for children with infectious diseases. ‘Infant full-day care’ is for infants aged 3 months to 36 months and can be used for a minimum of 3 hours per session at 12,180 KRW per hour.

‘Hourly care’ is available for children aged 3 months to 12 years for a minimum of 2 hours per session; the basic type costs 12,180 KRW per hour, and the comprehensive type costs 15,830 KRW per hour.

‘Support for children with infectious diseases’ applies to children under 12 attending daycare centers who contract contagious diseases and require unavoidable home care. This service can be used for at least 2 hours per session at 14,610 KRW per hour. Full-day care can be used up to 80 to 200 hours per month, and hourly care up to 960 hours per year.

245 Childcare Professionals Active... More than 30 Additional Hires Planned

The district currently has 245 active childcare providers and plans to hire more than 30 additional caregivers this year. The hired caregivers are verified personnel who have completed a standard 120-hour training course or hold relevant certifications such as childcare teacher licenses, ensuring parents can entrust their children with confidence.

Furthermore, caregivers who meet certain activity standards receive meal and transportation allowances to improve working conditions. The district will also expand recruitment through active promotion to ensure families experiencing childcare gaps receive timely services.

District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong said, “We provide cost support to all families regardless of income to offer practical help to those experiencing childcare gaps,” adding, “We will create a ‘Gangnam that is good for raising children’ where childbirth and parenting are not difficult for any resident.”

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