Hwaseong City Records Top Birth Rate Among Municipalities Over 1 Million Population

[Suwon Ilbo=Lee Su-won Reporter] Hwaseong City, which achieved a population of over 1 million by the end of last year, has recorded the highest number of births among municipalities with over 1 million population and a total fertility rate that far exceeds both the national average and the Gyeonggi Province average.

According to the preliminary announcement from the KOSIS National Statistics Portal on the 5th, Hwaseong City's number of births was 6,700, showing a significant gap compared to Suwon City with 6,000, Goyang City with 5,000, and Yongin City with 4,900—all municipalities in the province with over 1 million population.

Additionally, the total fertility rate in 2023 was 0.98, which is higher than the Gyeonggi Province average of 0.77 and the national average of 0.72.

Amid the low birth rate social crisis where the number of births continues to decline, the higher birth count and total fertility rate in Hwaseong City compared to other municipalities is interpreted to be largely due to the city's birth support funds and multi-child policies.

Since Mayor Jung Myung-geun took office in 2022, the city revised the 'Hwaseong City Birth Support Ordinance,' expanding the scope of support and the amount of support funds by providing 1 million won from the first child starting in January 2023, whereas previously support was provided from the third child onwards.

In particular, in May of last year, the city revised the multi-child criteria from three children to two children, implementing a policy to reduce the burden on multi-child families. The number of beneficiary households increased from the existing 11,476 to 70,441, and the target population expanded to approximately 236,000.

Along with this, the city held a 'Birth Promotion Policy Proposal Discussion' with experts in February and continues efforts to overcome the low birth rate crisis while creating a 'birth promotion culture' by implementing △support for spoon and fork sets for newlyweds △health checkups for prospective newlyweds △hospital medical expenses and counseling services.

Additionally, the city has established a comprehensive childcare service network through △dispatch of developmental psychology experts to daycare centers △placement of therapists at inclusive daycare centers △Hwaseong-style holiday daycare centers.

Mayor Jung Myung-geun stated, "We will support citizens' births and child-rearing to create an environment conducive to having and raising children," and added, "We will continue to implement increasingly diverse and effective birth promotion policies going forward."