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The government plans to offer a monthly allowance of 100,000 won to
middle-class families with two or more children, possibly starting next y=
ear,
said the Ministry of Health and Welfare yesterday.
Announcing a final draft of its comprehensive welfare policy, the governm=
ent
said it will also grant couples with infants certain advantages in buying
apartments.
The Welfare Ministry will push ahead with the plan as soon as it concludes
consultations with the Budget Ministry. The government will allocate a bu=
dget
estimated from 1.9 trillion to 4.5 trillion won for the plan, said Kim Yo=
ng-hyun, official of the Ministry of Welfare and Healt=
h.
The plan is the latest addition to the governments
five-year welfare strategy that began last month.
Aimed at tackling the nations low birthrate and
aging population, the government has come up with broad measures on the i=
ssue
such as expanding its subsidy for child care expenses to 80 percent of
couples in 2010, up from the current 50 percent.
The government decided to take new measures to support a wider range of
families, since the previous plan only covers couples who send their chil=
dren
to child care facilities, the government explained.
According the governments data, less than half the children aged under 5 receive education from childcare facilities.=
More than half of the children (aged under 5) =
stay
at home, mostly with their grandparents. The government needs to support
those infants as well, said the official.
The plan, granting cash for families with two or more children, has been
suggested by a social convention signed last month by leaders of governme=
nt,
business, religious and civic groups.
The idea has aroused concerns in politic=
al
circles and experts who question the lack of budget to carry out the plan=
.
But the government struck an affirmative
pose yesterday, saying it has now reached agreement with the ruling Uri P=
arty
at a consultation meeting.
The official also said the introduction of the child allowance plan is a
necessary choice since most OECD countries, except for Korea and Mexico, already support fam=
ilies
with similar child care subsidies.
With the nations birthrate tumbling to one of =
the
worlds lowest, the government is also set to pay for education, maternity=
leave
and a long list of other benefits.
By 2020, the government aims to raise the
birthrate from the current 1.08 to 1.6, the OECD average. It plans to spe=
nd a
combined 32 trillion won through 2010.
Boosting the number of after-school clas=
ses
is another initiative to relieve the burden on parents of costly private
education fees. The cost of childcare and education is considered the main
reason that couples avoid having babies in Korea.
In an effort to help working parents com=
bine
work and family, the government will enhance its assistance to child care
centers. It plans to increase the number of state-run child care centers =
to
30 percent of the nations infant population (a=
ged
0-3) from the current 10.9 percent.
Tax breaks, social insurance benefits an=
d other
incentives are also being considered.
(christory@heraldm.com)
By Cho Chung-un
2006.07.15
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