Incheon, South Korea – Incheon has reported a remarkable increase in its birthrate, marking the highest growth rate among all South Korean cities. According to data released by the Statistics Korea on November 29th, the number of births in Incheon from January to September 2024 reached 11,326, representing an 8.3% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This growth rate is more than double that of Seoul, which ranked second with a 3.5% increase.
The city's total fertility rate has also shown a significant improvement. In the third quarter of 2023, the total fertility rate was 0.67, but it increased to 0.74 in the first quarter of 2024 and reached 0.8 in the third quarter of 2024, marking a 0.13 increase within a year. This growth is the second highest among all cities in South Korea, following only Sejong City.
The city attributes this positive trend to its "i+1 Billion Dream" policy, a comprehensive birthrate support initiative. Programs such as the "Pregnancy Transportation Fee Support," which provides a 500,000 won subsidy for pregnant women, and the "Angel Support Fund" and "Child Dream Allowance," which offer continuous support from age 1 to 18, are believed to have contributed to the increase in births.
Additionally, the city's efforts to attract young people, including providing affordable housing through the "i+House Dream" program and offering public transportation subsidies through the "i+Fare Dream" program, are seen as factors contributing to the higher birthrate.
Incheon also reported a 12.4% increase in marriages from January to September 2024, reaching 9,661. This positive trend in marriages is expected to further stabilize the growth in the birthrate.
The city government plans to continue implementing policies to support childbirth and child-rearing, aiming to establish Incheon as a model city for families.
"The fact that Incheon has maintained the highest birthrate growth rate among all cities for four consecutive months since June is a testament to the effectiveness of our birthrate support policies," said Hyun Jeong, Director of the Women and Family Affairs Bureau. "We will continue to develop and strengthen our policies to make Incheon the best city for childbirth and child-rearing."
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