Gwangyang City Becomes First Basic Local Government in Jeollanam-do to Receive Prime Minister's Commendation for Excellence in Family Policy

Operation of Family Culture Center, Care Services, Multicultural Support, and Assistance for Single-Person Households Reflected

Gwangyang City in Jeollanam-do announced that, in celebration of Family Month, it has become the first basic local government in Jeollanam-do to receive the Prime Minister's Commendation for Excellence in Family Policy.

This award reflects the city's continuous efforts in implementing various policies such as family care, multicultural support, and assistance for single-person households, as well as establishing a family support system tailored to the characteristics of the region.

Gwangyang City received the Prime Minister's Commendation for Excellence in Family Policy, becoming the first basic local government in Jeollanam-do to be awarded in the family policy sector in celebration of Family Month. Photo by Gwangyang City

In particular, the city has demonstrated performance centered around its Family Culture Center, the core hub for family policy, ranking seventh in project performance among 207 family centers nationwide.

■ Operation of the Family Policy Hub 'Family Culture Center'

Gwangyang City operates the 'Gwangyang City Family Culture Center' as its flagship facility for family policy. Established through the Living SOC Complex Project initiated in 2019, the center was developed with a total project cost of 8.9 billion won. As a multifunctional space combining the roles of a family center, communal parenting sharing space, community culture center, and multicultural immigrant+ center, it provides integrated family support and care services.

As of 2022, the Family Culture Center recorded 113,585 annual users, and over the past three years, 163 programs have been run a total of 72,484 times. User satisfaction was rated at 4.8 out of 5 points, and the center's operational cases have been shared with family centers nationwide through consultations and best practice presentations by the Korea Healthy Family Promotion Agency.

■ Expansion of Customized Support to Address Welfare Blind Spots

Gwangyang City is working to eliminate welfare blind spots by expanding the scope of support to households not reached by public resources.

The 'Gwangyang-type Single-Parent Childcare Support' program, which began in 2025, has extended eligibility to households with a median income exceeding 65% but not exceeding 150%, who were previously excluded from government support. Through this program, childcare allowances are provided to 88 children.

Additionally, 12,698 case management sessions have been conducted for 4,188 vulnerable and at-risk households, supporting both livelihood stability and self-reliance.

Furthermore, by participating in public contests organized by private foundations and companies, the city has secured approximately 800 million won in external funding. This funding is being used to support crisis households, including improving housing conditions for multicultural families and providing medical expense assistance for families affected by burn accidents.

■ Operation of Education and Cultural Programs to Promote Multicultural Understanding

In response to the increasing number of multicultural households in the region, Gwangyang City is operating programs to promote cultural understanding and awareness.

The 'Saekdongnamu Puppet Theater Troupe,' comprised of 12 married immigrant women, has conducted 355 touring performances over the past three years, attracting 41,754 audience members.

In 2025, the city established 'Modeuae Teul Global Media Experience Center,' the nation’s first experiential multicultural education space incorporating media art. The center employs marriage immigrants as instructors, contributing to job creation, and provides education to 1,483 participants annually.

■ Establishment of a Care Support System Including Communal Parenting Sharing Spaces

Gwangyang City operates 10 communal parenting sharing spaces, the largest number in Jeollanam-do, serving about 30,000 users annually and establishing a strong care support system within the region.

Starting in 2024, the city introduced the 'Paternity Leave Incentive Program' to support childcare participation among male workers, providing about 230 million won to 398 recipients over the past two years.

Alongside this, the city is also running support projects to reduce care gaps for elementary school students during school holidays.

■ Life Cycle Policies for Single-Person Households and Youth

Gwangyang City operates a 'Single-Person Household Registration System' to address the increasing number of single-person households.

Additionally, the city supports self-help group activities such as the 'Single-Person Power Plant' and 'Shinbakhan Meal Service Corps,' working to prevent social isolation.

Moreover, starting in 2026, the city plans to implement the 'My Special Small Wedding' support project to alleviate the financial burden of marriage for young, first-time married couples. By utilizing various local spaces and resources for small-scale weddings, the city aims to help young people settle down and start families within the community.

■ Family Policy Advanced Together with Citizens

This Prime Minister's Commendation is considered the result of Gwangyang City's continuous efforts to implement policies for family care, multicultural support, and single-person household assistance, reflecting the diverse family types and living conditions of its citizens.

A Gwangyang City official stated, "Being the first in Jeollanam-do to receive the Prime Minister's Commendation is the result of citizens working together to create a family-friendly community," adding, "We will continue to pursue support policies that consider the diversity of family types."

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