"Only Up to September Babies? What About Us?" Backlash Erupts Over Gyeonggi Province's Austerity Measures

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae declared a "fiscal emergency" citing a decline in tax revenue and accumulated debt burdens, and about a month later, the fallout from the austerity measures is appearing in various areas.

Backlash is growing among households with newborns as the postpartum care subsidy—which has provided 500,000 won per newborn—is ending with the applications for this month.

As of the 13th, a petition opposing the abolition of the postpartum care subsidy posted on the Gyeonggi Provincial Government petition board surpassed 16,000 signatures, exceeding the 10,000-signature threshold required for an official response from the governor.

The petitioner stated, "I am expecting my first child in November," and argued, "Stopping the support without prior notice or a grace period is unfair."

Because support is provided only up to babies born in September while excluding those born from October to December, the demand is to "rescue the 'stuck-in-the-middle children' born between October and December 2026."

Regarding the postpartum care subsidy program, which began in 2019, Gyeonggi Province maintains that program adjustments are necessary because childbirth support has expanded, including the First Meeting Voucher and city-county childbirth subsidies.

Governor Choo stated on social media, "The Gyeonggi Province postpartum care subsidy budget was not arbitrarily cut by the 9th local government administration," adding, "Because this year's budget was initially allocated for only nine months, program adjustments were inevitable, and limited financial resources were prioritized for fertility treatment subsidies for infertile couples."

Previously on the 19th of last month, Gyeonggi Province adjusted about 1,300 existing programs in its second supplementary budget amounting to 42.242 trillion won, cutting 546.5 billion won.

However, in the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, where the Democratic Party of Korea holds a majority, moves are continuing to restore the slashed budget.

Each standing committee increased budgets such as 6.5 billion won for the Gyeonggi Market and Corporation Promotion Agency and 1.95 billion won for the disabled opportunity income, and added 3.0 billion won each for newlyweds and youth housing support.

Since local councils require the governor's consent to increase expenditure budgets, whether Governor Choo will accept the assembly's budget increase proposal has also become a key issue.

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Design by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.