About a month after Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae declared a fiscal emergency due to declining tax revenues and accumulated debt burdens, the fallout from the austerity measures is unfolding across various sectors.

Backlash is growing among families as the postpartum care subsidy of 500,000 won per newborn is set to end with applications received this month.

A petition opposing the abolition of the postpartum care subsidy posted on the Gyeonggi provincial petition platform had garnered over 16,000 signatures as of the 13th, surpassing 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, "It is unfair to cut off support without prior notice or a grace period."

With support ending for babies born in September while excluding those born from October to December, the petitioner demanded that "children caught in the middle between October and December 2026 be rescued."

The Gyeonggi provincial government maintains that the postpartum care subsidy program, which began in 2019, required adjustments as child-birth support has expanded through the First Meeting Voucher and municipal childbirth grants.

Governor Choo stated on social media, "The Gyeonggi postpartum care subsidy budget was not arbitrarily cut by the 9th popular election administration," adding, "Because this year's budget was initially allocated for only nine months, adjustments to the program were inevitable, and limited financial resources were preferentially allocated to support fertility treatments for infertile couples."

Previously on the 19th of last month, Gyeonggi Province slashed 546.5 billion won by restructuring about 1,300 existing programs in its second supplementary budget totaling 42.242 trillion won.

However, movements are underway in the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, where the Democratic Party holds a majority, to restore the slashed budget.

Each standing committee increased allocations by 6.5 billion won for the Gyeonggi Market and Business Corporation and 1.95 billion won for the Disability Opportunity Income, while adding 3 billion won each for newlyweds and youth housing support.

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

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Graphics by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News