1,629 births recorded in first half of this year

District on track for 4th straight year of double-digit growth

Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-gi. [Gangnam-gu]
Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-gi. [Gangnam-gu]

Gangnam-gu recorded 1,629 births in the first half of this year, a 13.2 percent increase from the same period last year, the district said Wednesday.

The district has posted double-digit birth growth for three consecutive years — 13.5 percent in 2023, 14.4 percent in 2024 and 12.1 percent in 2025, for an annual average of 13.3 percent. If the trend holds, the cumulative birth increase for this year is likely to reach double digits as well, which would mark four consecutive years of double-digit growth.

The district attributes the trend to policies covering the full spectrum of childbirth and child-rearing, which it says have helped create a birth-friendly environment.

To ease the financial burden on families with newborns, the district provides childbirth and child-rearing support payments of 2 million won ($1,490) for first and second children, 3 million won for third children, and 5 million won for fourth children and beyond. Starting this year, the district also introduced a paternity leave incentive program, offering men on parental leave 300,000 won per month for up to one year.

In 2023, the district became the first in the country to remove income restrictions on its fertility treatment support program, helping 1,664 couples in 2023, 3,465 in 2024 and 4,693 in 2025.

"This increase in births is a meaningful signal that Gangnam-gu is establishing itself as a city where people want to have and raise children," District Mayor Kim Hyun-gi said.


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