"Here's Why Birth Rate Is Rising"... Seongdong District Launches 'Birth Celebration Fund Smart Management System'

Efficiency Improved with Automatic Notification for Installment Payments

Seongdong District in Seoul has established the "Birth Celebration Fund Smart Management System" and began full-scale operation this month. This system resolves previous issues such as omission of eligible recipients for installment payments and payment delays caused by manual management. It has significantly improved procedural efficiency and convenience for residents.

Seongdong District has established the "Birth Celebration Fund Smart Management System" and will begin full-scale operation starting in June. The photo shows the use of the "Birth Celebration Fund Smart Management System." Provided by Seongdong District.

To alleviate the financial burden on families with newborns, Seongdong District enacted the "Ordinance on Supporting Birth Incentives in Seongdong District" for the first time in June 2009. Since then, the district has provided approximately 4 billion won in birth celebration funds to 14,022 families.

In September 2023, the ordinance was revised to provide birth celebration funds to families with a third child or more. The support amount was significantly increased: 3 million won for the third child, 5 million won for the fourth child, and 10 million won for the fifth child. For families with a fourth child or more, the funds are paid in installments over two to four years. Starting this year, with the introduction of the smart management system, eligible families can be notified in advance, and continuous payments are made without the need for separate applications, eliminating inconvenience.

The system has enhanced functions to prevent duplicate payments, and all information is securely managed on an internal server network that is completely isolated from external access, eliminating concerns about personal information leaks. In addition to supporting the birth celebration fund, Seongdong District has continuously promoted resident-oriented childbirth and childcare policies, such as expanding public childcare infrastructure and providing Seongdong-style household care services, since the sixth term of the local government.

As a result of these efforts, Seongdong District's total fertility rate in 2024 increased by 0.071 to 0.711 from 0.639 in 2023, marking the largest increase among Seoul's autonomous districts. The district has drawn attention for its significant rise in the number of births, even without introducing new cash incentives or large-scale population inflows such as new apartment constructions.

Jung Wonoh, Mayor of Seongdong District, stated, "Through the smart management system, we have improved resident convenience and enabled systematic support for the birth celebration fund. We will continue to pursue administration that all residents can trust and rely on, and do our utmost to create a city where it is easy and reassuring to have and raise children."

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