A newborn at a hospital in Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 11 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul city government will provide 1 million won (US$757.92) in a postpartum care subsidy starting in September to families with newborn babies in the capital, city officials said Tuesday.
Under the program, all families that have lived in Seoul for at least six months will be entitled to the subsidy upon childbirth regardless of their income levels.
The subsidy will be available for use to cover mothers’ postpartum care, maternity helper services and other medical expenses, according to the city officials.
Families are required to apply for the city subsidy within 60 days of a baby’s birth.
The city expects the program would benefit about 42,000 households annually on a four-year budget of 71 billion won.
In a related childbirth promotion program, the city will also provide up to 1 million won to each pregnant woman aged 35 or older in Seoul to help cover prenatal testing expenses, the officials also said.
The postpartum care and prenatal testing subsidies will go into service later this year and next year, respectively, after the city takes necessary legal and budgetary procedures in cooperation with the health ministry.
(Yonhap)
