Anseong City Expands Child Allowance to Age 9... "To Increase to Age 13 by 2030"

Anseong City in Gyeonggi Province is accelerating its efforts to become a "child-friendly city" and a "safe city" by significantly expanding the eligibility for child allowance payments to ease the financial burden of child-rearing and by creating a citizen-centered customized welfare map.

Aerial view of Anseong City Hall.

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On April 20, Anseong City announced that, following the promulgation of the revised "Child Allowance Act" in March, it will expand child allowance eligibility from children under the age of 8 to those under the age of 9 (0-107 months).

This amendment was pursued to alleviate the financial burden of raising children. It includes a provision to gradually raise the eligible age by one year each year until 2030, ultimately covering children under the age of 13. This year marks the first phase, with the benefit now extended to children under the age of 9.

The child allowance provides 100,000 won per child per month, deposited on the 25th of each month (or on the preceding day if the 25th falls on a Saturday or public holiday) into an account in the name of the child or guardian.

For children born between January 2017 and March 2018 who have previously received the child allowance, the expanded benefit will be processed automatically by the administrative agency without a separate application. However, if there has been a change in information or if there is no previous record of receiving the allowance, an application must be made in person at the local Eup, Myeon, or Dong Administrative Welfare Center. Newly born children will continue to follow the standard new application procedure.

With this expansion, Anseong City will resume child allowance payments from April for children born between January 2017 and March 2018 whose payments had previously been discontinued.

An official from Anseong City stated, "We hope this legal amendment will provide meaningful relief from the cost of child-rearing," and added, "As a child-friendly city, we will continue to devote our efforts to improving child welfare and making Anseong a tailored city where children are happy."

On the 17th, Anseong City held a kickoff report meeting for the research project to establish the "6th Anseong City Community Security Plan (2027-2030)" at the main building conference room of the city hall. Provided by Anseong City

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On the 17th, Anseong City held a kickoff report meeting for the research project to establish the "6th Anseong City Community Security Plan (2027-2030)" at the main conference room of city hall and officially began efforts to formulate mid- to long-term welfare policies aimed at improving the quality of life for its citizens, the city announced on April 20.

This plan is a four-year statutory plan based on the "Act on the Use, Provision, and Discovery of Social Security Benefits and Beneficiaries" and is expected to serve as a key milestone for future welfare policies in Anseong City. The meeting was attended by over 50 participants, including members of the Anseong City Community Security Council and related public officials, who shared the direction and work plan for the research and exchanged various opinions.

This research project has been entrusted to the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation at Hankyung National University (with Professor Seo-Young Lee as the lead researcher), which will design effective welfare policies that reflect local characteristics. Through this plan, Anseong City intends to comprehensively analyze welfare needs across all life stages from children to the elderly and strengthen policy linkages across sectors such as welfare, health, employment, and housing.

An official from Anseong City stated, "The 6th Community Security Plan will serve as an important standard for determining the direction of Anseong City's welfare policies over the next four years," and added, "We will focus our efforts on developing effective policies that citizens can truly experience in their daily lives, based on a public-private cooperation system."

Anseong City conducted on-site safety inspections from March 18 to March 31 at 20 large-scale development permit sites within its jurisdiction. Provided by Anseong City

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Meanwhile, to prevent accidents caused by ground weakening during the spring thaw, Anseong City conducted intensive safety inspections at 20 large-scale development permit sites within the city from March 18 to March 31.

The key inspection items included: ▲ compliance with environmental and disaster impact assessment agreements ▲ ground stability at cut slopes and excavation faces ▲ condition of civil engineering structures ▲ management of drainage facilities such as ditches, side drains, and sedimentation basins.

The inspections found that most sites were being managed well without structural defects. The city immediately required on-site corrections for minor deficiencies and plans to continue prioritizing citizen safety through regular inspections in the future.

An official from Anseong City said, "To create a customized city where children are happy and citizens are safe, we will continue to do our utmost to provide tailored welfare at each stage of life and ensure thorough on-site management."

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