People Power Party Seoul mayoral candidate Oh Se-hoon on the 20th announced low birthrate pledges spanning marriage, childbirth, and child-rearing.
That day, candidate Oh visited a postpartum care center in Cheonho-dong, Gangdong District, Seoul, and announced pledges including support for postpartum care expenses and an expansion of Seoul-style kids cafes.
Oh said, "We will spread a social atmosphere that favors families raising children," unveiling a plan to expand kids cafes to support child care.
Oh said, "One of the very popular policies is the Seoul-style kids cafe," adding, "With the goal of creating kids cafes in every one of the 425 neighborhoods in the 25 districts, we will increase the number to 404 by the end of the 2030 term."
He continued, "Many public facilities operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government will include kids cafes," adding, "We will also create kids cafes in outing spaces as 'mobile here-and-there kids cafes' and 'garden-style green kids cafes' to help with child care."
He also unveiled a plan to create a public model of KidZania that combines play and education. KidZania is a theme park where children experience jobs.
Oh said, "A single visit to KidZania can quickly run to about 100,000 won," adding, "We will operate a public model called 'Seoul Children's Imagination Land' at eight locations across Seoul at affordable prices so you can use it often."
Oh also unveiled a plan to support postpartum care to ease the burden of childbirth.
The plan is to implement, for the first time nationwide, the "Seoul Safe Postpartum Care Center," which combines public support with private facilities specializing in postpartum care. Of the 3.9 million won cost to use a postpartum care center, the city of Seoul plans to subsidize 1.4 million won.
Oh said, "We concluded that publicly supporting existing postpartum care centers while subsidizing mothers' usage fees is actually the wiser approach, as it prevents a decline in the number of private postpartum care facilities due to low birthrates and raises service levels, guaranteeing a 'win-win' model," adding, "In addition, we will provide 1 million won per person in postpartum care expense support and implement additional support through incentives for families with multiple children."
Oh also plans to provide additional payments for the roughly 700,000 won in transportation support for pregnant women based on the number of children. He will also expand the "Seoul-style maternity benefit" for sole proprietors and freelancers, who are in a blind spot for maternity leave, to 900,000 won.
Oh also announced a plan to expand "Seoul-ting" for unmarried young men and women.
Oh said, "At first there was criticism about whether the public sector should even do this, but now the response is explosive and the matching rate is high, so we plan to make it permanent," adding, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government will also provide low-cost 'seu-deu-me (studio, dress, makeup)' and a pleasant, movie-like, happy venue so no one hesitates to hold a wedding because of expense."