Ganghwa County Selected as 'Top-Performing Institution' in 7th Korea Local Government Policy Awards

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] Ganghwa County has been selected as the top-performing institution in the county division of the '7th Korea Local Government Policy Awards.'

The 'Korea Local Government Policy Awards,' hosted by Money Today and sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, News 1, and Newsis, is the nation's only policy awards program that discovers and honors outstanding policies from local governments.

In this year's local government policy awards, Ganghwa County's 'Addressing Population Decline Crisis: Childbirth and Education Policies' was selected as the top-performing case in the county division. The county's highest-level childbirth support policies in the Seoul metropolitan area and the nation's leading education policies, being promoted to overcome the crisis of local decline, were recognized for achieving improved residential conditions for residents.

The county provides childbirth support grants at the highest levels in the Seoul metropolitan area to ensure that the economic burden of childbirth does not lead to low birth rates. For the first child, it provides 7.4 million won including childbirth support funds, birthday celebration funds, and childcare expenses; 11.6 million won for the second child; 19.6 million won for the third child; and 28.4 million won for the fourth child and beyond. Additionally, the county dispatches health care workers to childbirth families to support postpartum recovery for mothers and newborn care regardless of income.

To establish a universal education welfare system without educational disparities, the county allocated 2.5 billion won in education subsidies entirely from the county budget this year for ▲operating after-school programs for elementary and middle schools (868 million won) ▲supporting autonomous public schools and designated happy learning schools at high schools (250 million won) ▲supporting creative experience activities (217 million won) ▲fostering prestigious excellent high schools (314 million won) ▲career and college guidance programs (80 million won) ▲and nurturing Ganghwa Island foreign language classroom hub schools. Additionally, with separate budgets, the county supports ▲safe notification services for elementary school commutes (180 million won) ▲free high school education (36 million won) ▲free school meals (904 million won), strengthening the public nature of education.

The county has strengthened scholarship projects by directly establishing a 15 billion won scholarship fund for cultivating future talent. It has additionally established 3rd and 4th scholarship offices, and provides support up to 1 million won per semester in tuition to all college students with household income at 200% of the median income, enabling them to focus on their studies without worrying about education expenses and housing.

County Governor Yu Cheon-ho said, "I am pleased that the childbirth and education policies promoted over the 7th and 8th terms of the local government have been recognized," adding, "Going forward, we will discover new and diverse policies and continue to implement them with all our efforts to create a prosperous Ganghwa filled with happiness for all residents."