Gyeonggi Province to keep postpartum care subsidy, tells cities to resume applications
In short
Gyeonggi Province said it sent a 30 September notice to its 31 cities and counties telling them to keep accepting postpartum care subsidy applications as before, a provincial health bureau official said, adding that restoring the budget was understood to be “agreed to some extent” in talks with the provincial council. The province had prepared a supplementary budget cutting 3.62 billion won for three months of the program and on 9 September told cities and counties applications would not be possible from October, drawing a petition with more than 26,000 signatures and a separate call for Governor Choo Mi-ae’s resignation. Newsis reported in its headline that the province called sending the extension notice before the budget was confirmed a “judgment error”.
Why it matters
The reversal keeps a cash-equivalent subsidy of 500,000 won per newborn flowing to families in Gyeonggi Province for now, but the money still depends on a supplementary budget the provincial council has not passed. The dispute has become politically charged, with tens of thousands of residents signing petitions and one calling for the governor’s resignation, and the two outlets describe the province’s handling of the notice differently.
Key facts
- Gyeonggi Province sent a 30 September notice to its 31 cities and counties telling them to keep accepting postpartum care subsidy applications as before, a provincial health bureau official said. [ 1 ]
- The subsidy pays 500,000 won per newborn in local currency, with the province and cities and counties splitting the cost half and half. [ 1 ]
- The province had prepared a supplementary budget that cut 3.62 billion won covering three months of the program, from October to December. [ 1 ]
- On 9 September the province sent cities and counties a notice saying postpartum care subsidy applications would not be possible from October. [ 1 ]
- A petition posted on 9 September opposing the abrupt abolition had more than 26,000 signatures as of 5 October, and a separate petition called for Governor Choo Mi-ae’s resignation. [ 1 ]
- The provincial official said budget restoration was “agreed to some extent” and that the notice was sent on the premise of restoring the budget. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reported in its headline that the province called sending the extension notice before the supplementary budget was confirmed a “judgment error”. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Gyeonggi Province moved to keep accepting postpartum care subsidy applications and sent a 30 September notice to 31 cities and counties to that effect, a provincial health bureau official said. [ 1 ]
- The subsidy is 500,000 won per newborn in local currency, shared equally by the province and cities and counties, and is paid within 14 days of application through town offices or the Gyeonggi Civil Service 24 website. [ 1 ]
- The province cut 3.62 billion won for three months of the program in its supplementary budget proposal and had earlier told cities and counties that October applications would not be possible. [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- When and whether the provincial council will pass a supplementary budget restoring the program’s funding. Document 1 says negotiations with the provincial council are still under way and that restoration is understood to have been agreed to some extent, but gives no final figure or date.
- How the province now characterises the notice sent before the budget was confirmed. Document 2’s headline says the province called it a “judgment error”, while document 1 reports the official saying the notice was sent on the premise of budget restoration; the two accounts differ.
- Whether the program will continue beyond the period covered by the supplementary budget. Document 1 says the province had decided to end the program after last month’s applications and then moved to maintain it, but does not state a final decision on the longer term.
- Details of document 2’s coverage of the event. Document 2’s article text covers an unrelated National Assembly audit of the Supreme Court rather than the subsidy; only its headline addresses this event.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- 5 October: Yonhap reports that Gyeonggi Province sent a 30 September notice to 31 cities and counties telling them to keep accepting postpartum care subsidy applications as before, and that an official said budget restoration was agreed to some extent. [ 1 ]
- 6 October: Newsis reports in its headline that Gyeonggi Province called sending the extension notice before the supplementary budget was confirmed a “judgment error”. [ 2 ]