Chilgok-gun to expand childbirth support payments from 2027

Chilgok-gun in North Gyeongsang Province will expand its childbirth support payments starting with babies born on or after Jan. 1, 2027, the county announced Monday.

To that end, the county will promulgate Tuesday an amendment to its ordinance on childbirth incentives and support for multi-child families, which the county council passed on Sept. 15.

Under the revised ordinance, first-born children — who currently receive no support — will be eligible for 2 million won ($1,480) starting next year.

Payments for second children will rise from 700,000 won to 3 million won, for third children from 1.4 million won to 4 million won, for fourth children from 3.8 million won to 5 million won, and for fifth and subsequent children from 7.4 million won to at least 8 million won.

The county will also ease residency requirements for applicants.

Under current rules, both parents must have been registered as residents in the county for at least three months before the child's birth date. The amended ordinance requires only one parent to have maintained county residency for three months prior to the birth and to remain registered through the payment reference date.

The county also consolidated what had been separate categories — a birth congratulatory payment and an infant-rearing subsidy — into a single childbirth incentive payment.

Details on application deadlines, required documents and payment procedures will be announced through local township offices and the county's website.

"The core of this ordinance revision is expanding eligibility to include first-born children and easing residency requirements so that more families can benefit," Chilgok-gun County Mayor Kim Jae-wook said. "We will continue to build a comprehensive support system tailored to each stage of life — from pregnancy and childbirth to child-rearing — to make Chilgok a great place to raise children."