Gongju City Starts Providing Marriage Incentive of 5 Million Won for Newlyweds

On the 21st, Gongju City in South Chungcheong Province announced that starting in May, it will provide a marriage incentive of 5 million won to newlywed couples in order to overcome the low birthrate issue and create a marriage-friendly environment.

This support will be available to young newlywed couples aged 18 to 45 who register their marriage after January 1, 2025.

To be eligible for the support, at least one of the couple must have registered their residence in Gongju City one year prior to the marriage registration, and both must be residents of Gongju City at the time of application.

The applicants must both be residents of Gongju City.

Applicants can apply at the administrative welfare center of their residing district within one year from the date of marriage registration. The marriage incentive of 5 million won will be distributed in three installments in the form of Gongju Pay, a local gift certificate.

However, applicants will be excluded from the support if they do not maintain their residence registration in Gongju City for the entire two-year support period or if their marriage is terminated due to divorce or bereavement.

Mayor Choi Won-cheol of Gongju City stated, "We have introduced the marriage incentive system to overcome the low birthrate issue and create a marriage-friendly regional environment," adding, "We will help young couples settle stably in the region."

Marriage Incentives Prove Effective in Increasing Local Marriage Rates

The effectiveness of the marriage incentive system has already been proven in various regions.

Last year, Daejeon City became the first in the nation to provide marriage incentives, recording a marriage rate of 5.6 per 1,000 people, making it the highest among 17 cities and provinces in the country.

The number of marriages also surged to 7,986, showing a 53.2% increase compared to the year before the incentive was provided, the highest increase nationwide.

In addition, various local governments, including Jeongseon County in Gangwon, Haman County in South Gyeongsang, Miryang City in South Gyeongsang, and Gumi City in North Gyeongsang, are also providing marriage incentives.

Image source: AI-generated image for the understanding of the article / Bing Image Creator, Gongju City