Gwangju City Finalizes Five-Year Population Policy to Restore Total Fertility Rate to 1.0

Population Policy Committee Approves 11.7 Trillion KRW Investment
'All-in Gwangju 4 Major Care' for a Vibrant City
Job Creation through AX Demonstration Valley and Future Mobility Industry

Gwangju City held the Gwangju Population Policy Committee meeting on the afternoon of the 26th at the city hall's medium conference room and reviewed and approved the "Second Comprehensive Population Policy Plan," which contains the basic direction of the five-year population policy from 2025 to 2029. Provided by Gwangju City

Gwangju City has established a 'Long-term Population Policy Plan' aiming to achieve zero net outflow of young people and restore the total fertility rate to the 1.0 range by 2029.

According to the city on the 27th, the Gwangju Population Policy Committee was held in the city hall's main conference room the previous afternoon, where the '2nd Gwangju City Comprehensive Population Policy Plan' (hereinafter referred to as the Comprehensive Plan), outlining the basic direction for population policy over the next five years (2025-2029), was reviewed and approved.

Over the next five years, the city plans to invest approximately 11.7056 trillion KRW to strengthen youth-centered education and employment policies and to implement a population policy roadmap aimed at restoring its central role as a hub city in the southwest region, attracting both people and businesses.

The Comprehensive Plan sets the goals of 'Zero Net Outflow of Young Population, Restoration of Total Fertility Rate to 1.0' and establishes four main policy directions: ▲Creating a safe society for raising children ▲Achieving an economy that attracts population through sustainable jobs ▲Vibrant urban spaces ▲Enhancing adaptability to future demographic structures. It also presents 12 key strategies, 29 core tasks, and 139 detailed tasks.

The city plans to focus on creating an even safer and more supportive environment for raising children by implementing life-cycle policies related to marriage, childbirth, childcare, and work-life balance. To this end, it will continuously expand the 'All-in Gwangju 4 Major Care' services?cash support, childcare, medical, and work-life care?and significantly strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprise workers and small business owners.

To reinforce home-based childcare, starting this year, a 'Birth Family Celebration Coexistence Card' worth 500,000 KRW per newborn will be provided. The '10 AM Start for Elementary School Parents' program, first implemented nationwide in 2022, will expand its beneficiaries from 300 to 500. For the first time in the country, a support program for substitute labor costs (1 million KRW per month for 3 months) for single female self-employed individuals during pregnancy and childbirth will also be implemented.

The city is also committed to creating jobs for young people. By fostering and connecting education and industry, the city is striving to become a place where young people can work and settle down. The second phase of artificial intelligence (AI) known as AX (AI Transformation) Demonstration Valley, the 1 million-pyeong Future Mobility National Industrial Complex, and the Gwangju Medical Specialized Industrial Complex will be fully operational, providing future growth engines and creating quality jobs.

To improve living conditions, the city will accelerate the expansion of various entertainment options such as complex shopping malls. By 2030, the phased completion of complex shopping malls (The Hyundai Gwangju, Shinsegae Department Store, Eodeungsan Starfield) will establish cultural and artistic tourism and leisure landmarks. These facilities will not only create jobs and increase added value but also serve as key infrastructure for achieving a vibrant city with an annual urban population of 30 million users.

Additionally, through 'G-Festa,' which integrates seasonal festivals, events, and MICE such as the 5.18 Commemoration, Music Festival, Design Biennale, Kimchi Festival, and Light Festival, the city will provide opportunities for tourists to easily experience Gwangju's charm and enhance the city's attractiveness.

Strategies to respond to the increasingly diverse and super-aged demographic structure are also being prepared. The 'Gwangju-style Integrated Care,' the first welfare pledge of the 8th civil administration, will expand the existing integrated care service network for all citizens to include medical care, thereby enhancing the quality of health services.

Mayor Kang Gijung stated, "To solve population issues, multifaceted strategies are needed in areas such as housing, employment, and urban attractiveness. Among these, jobs are the key," adding, "We will do our best to protect industries, increase startups, and improve the quality of health services so that people and businesses gather and make Gwangju a better place to live."

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