Gwanak-gu (district mayor Park Jun-hee) will provide a "Kkangchungkkangchung Growth and Child-Rearing Support Grant" to families raising infants and toddlers, aiming to promote healthy child development and ease the financial burden on caregiving households.
The program is open to families registered and actually residing in Gwanak-gu with children between the ages of 2 and 4. Guardians must have been registered and living in the district for at least six months before the child's birthday.
Applications can be submitted through the Government24 website or in person at the community service center in the child's neighborhood. The application window opens on the child's birthday and closes six months later. Families must apply separately when the child turns 2, 3 and 4.
Eligible families receive a 300,000 won ($208) Gwanak Love gift voucher once for each age — at 2, 3 and 4. The vouchers are accepted at Seoul Love Gift Voucher-affiliated merchants in Gwanak-gu, including restaurants, supermarkets, hospitals, pharmacies and cultural facilities.
The district expects the program to reduce the burden on caregiving families, create a more child-friendly environment and strengthen local support infrastructure in response to the low birth rate crisis.
Alongside this program, the district is running a range of other initiatives — including a newborn gift support project, a "Top Dad Parenting Corps" program and a summer forest experience program for toddlers — to help children grow up healthy and build enriching memories.
"I hope the Kkangchungkkangchung Growth and Child-Rearing Support Grant provides real, tangible help to families raising children and serves as a solid foundation for their healthy development," district mayor Park said. "We will continue our support to address the low birth rate crisis and make Gwanak-gu a place where children can thrive and be happy."
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