Incheon Leads Nation in Birth Rate Growth for 14 Consecutive Months... Number of Marriages Also Rises

Incheon has maintained the highest birth rate growth among all regions nationwide from June last year through July this year.

According to Incheon City on September 25, the birth rate growth in Incheon reached 11.9% in July this year, ranking first among the 17 metropolitan and provincial areas. This figure is 4.7 percentage points higher than the national average birth rate growth of 7.2%, and it is also relatively high compared to other major cities in the Seoul metropolitan area. Among special and metropolitan cities, the birth rate growth in July was 9.8% in Daegu, 9.7% in Seoul, 7.7% in Busan, 6.1% in Ulsan, 5.6% in Gwangju, and 4.5% in Daejeon.

Since rebounding in May last year, Incheon has consistently maintained the top spot nationwide in birth rate growth from June of the same year. Notably, this upward trend goes beyond a simple increase in the birth rate, leading to positive demographic changes such as a rise in the registered resident population and the number of marriages.

In fact, Incheon's registered resident population has been steadily increasing, with a net migration rate ranging from 0.6% to 2.0% this year. In July alone, the number of marriages in Incheon reached 1,234, marking a 16.7% increase compared to the previous month, indicating a simultaneous rise in both marriages and births.

Birth Rate Growth Trends in Incheon and Nationwide. Provided by Incheon City

This stands in stark contrast to the nationwide situation, where prolonged low birth rates remain a significant challenge. Incheon City attributes these results to the effectiveness of its i-Plus (i+) six-policy package (1eok Dream, Jip Dream, Ieodream, Maeteodream, Gilleodream, and Chabidream).

The '1eok Dream' policy alleviates the financial burden on families immediately after childbirth by providing transportation subsidies for pregnant women, Angel Support Funds, Child Dream Allowances, and postnatal care support. 'Jip Dream' supports housing stability for newlyweds and families with multiple children, encouraging marriage and childbirth.

Additionally, 'Ieodream' and 'Maeteodream' promote social environments that encourage dating and marriage, helping to foster family formation. 'Gilleodream' strengthens the childcare infrastructure through a variety of programs such as the 1040 Angel Care, part-time childcare, workplace daycare centers, and flexible and full-meal care services.

In particular, the 'Chabidream' policy, set to launch next month, aims to reduce transportation costs for families with children, thereby improving convenience for parents and establishing itself as a core policy for building a child-friendly city. Chabidream reimburses 50% to 70% of public transportation expenses for parents who have children.

Yoo Jeongbok, Mayor of Incheon, stated, "The i-Plus (i+) policy package goes beyond simply encouraging childbirth, providing systematic support that extends to relationships, marriage, and childrearing, giving real strength to parents. We will continue to develop policies that reduce the burden and increase the joy of childbirth and parenting."

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