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South Jeolla reports highest birthrate in Q1 in wake of monthly child benefit program

Published: 02 Jun. 2025, 17:37

A nurse cares for a newborn at a hospital in Michuhol District, Incheon, on Feb. 26. [NEWS1]

South Jeolla reported the highest birthrate among Korean regions following the introduction of its pioneering monthly child benefit program, according to the provincial government's analysis of Statistics Korea data on Monday.

As of the first quarter of 2025, the province’s total fertility rate — defined as the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime — stood at 1.13, the highest in the country. This figure is 0.31 higher than the national average of 0.82.

The number of births in South Jeolla from January to March reached 2,231, up 6.5 percent compared to the same period last year.

Provincial officials attributed the increase in part to its basic birth grant program, which the provincial government launched this year after a year of preparation. Under the scheme, children born in South Jeolla from 2024 onward receive 200,000 won ($145) per month until they turn 18, totaling 43.2 million won over 18 years.

The program was designed with input from child development experts and local parents, and aims to offer sustained support throughout childhood.

Officials say this long-term, regular benefit addresses the shortcomings of earlier one-off subsidies focused on infancy, and contributes to a shift in public perception that raising children is a shared social responsibility.

To build on the program’s early momentum, the provincial government plans to expand additional support measures, including increased subsidies for fertility treatments and a wider network of public postnatal care centers. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to provide integrated services for pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]