Chungcheongnam-do Province and its 15 cities and counties convened a meeting to assess the progress of the "Full-Care Childcare Policy Upgrade," a key provincial initiative, at the municipal and county levels. They also discussed future directions and addressed pressing issues, including the upcoming 21st presidential election.

The "2025 Second Chungcheongnam-do Province and Cities/Counties Policy Coordination Meeting" took place on April 23rd at the Seocheon County Office's conference hall. The event saw the participation of approximately 40 officials, including Park Jeong-ju, the Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs of Chungcheongnam-do, heads of provincial bureaus and departments, and vice mayors/county governors.

The meeting was held in conjunction with site visits to the Seocheon County Office and Songnim Donghwa, a cultural complex. The agenda included reports and discussions on pending issues, deliberations on cooperative matters, and local site inspections.

During the pending issues report session, Lee Seung-yeol, head of the Provincial Population Policy Division, delivered a presentation. Following this, representatives from Cheonan, Asan, Nonsan, and Hongseong shared their respective progress on the Full-Care Childcare Policy Upgrade.

Vice Governor Park meticulously reviewed the challenges faced by each city and county. He stated, "The province has been actively pursuing policies to overcome low birth rates and alleviate the burden of childcare, including the implementation of the childcare policy last year and the establishment of the Population Strategy Bureau." He further urged the cities and counties to "actively cooperate in preparing for the effective implementation of the childcare policy, such as revising ordinances and securing budgets."

The Full-Care Childcare Policy Upgrade is a comprehensive initiative designed to address the deepening issue of low birth rates and population decline. Its core principle is to take responsibility for children from birth until they reach adulthood, providing continuous support and care.

On this day, the province reviewed the progress of cities and counties in preparing through ordinance revisions and budget allocation. Chungcheongnam-do plans to analyze the achievements and challenges encountered during the implementation process to refine and improve the policy for effective execution.

Furthermore, the meeting addressed the issue of childbirth allowances, where both the national and local governments provide cash-based support upon the birth of a child.

Vice Governor Park pointed out, "Numerous research findings indicate that the childbirth allowance policies, implemented competitively among local governments, do not have a significant impact on increasing the birth rate." He emphasized the need to "propose to the central government that the benefits be standardized nationwide to eliminate disparities based on region, and to continuously consult with cities and counties to explore the possibility of internal standardization."

Regarding the upcoming 21st presidential election scheduled for June 3rd, the province and its cities/counties resolved to actively ensure a "fair and clean election."

They agreed to establish a cooperative system and implement measures for the seamless execution of statutory election affairs. This includes operating situation rooms for vote counting and reporting at the city/county level, and conducting internal public official election law training for employees to ensure neutrality and maintain public discipline.

Key cooperative matters requested by the province included △promoting spring wildfire prevention measures, △managing performance for the 2026 joint local government evaluation, and △conducting intensive safety inspections of vulnerable facilities in preparation for summer heavy rains and typhoons. A total of 28 items were shared.

The cities and counties presented 14 promotional and request items, including △Seocheon-gun's Songnim Donghwa (Pine Forest Harmony) project, △the 17th Gongju Seokjang-ri Paleolithic Festival, △the Boryeong-AMC International Motor Festival, △the 64th Asan Seong-woong Yi Sun-sin Festival, and △the hosting of the 31st Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Games for the Disabled.

Vice Governor Park stressed, "Given the grave domestic and international situations, including the early presidential election and the global trade war, we must further strengthen our collaborative system." He affirmed the province's commitment to actively support the cities and counties with a spirit of "Dongjugongje" (同舟共濟 - crossing the river in the same boat), implying a shared destiny and mutual assistance.

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