On the opening day of the Chuseok holiday, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon went to Seodaemun-gu to drop by Aeranwon—a welfare center for single-parent families—to greet residents for the season and listen to their childcare difficulties and required assistance.
Holiday Visit to Aeranwon
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon toured the residential rooms and postpartum care area at Aeranwon on Thursday during the start of the Chuseok holiday. Aeranwon provides housing for up to two years for single parents with household incomes at or below the median who are raising children under the age of three.
Several pregnant teenagers balancing schoolwork and childcare attended the Thursday meeting. Mayor Oh shared traditional holiday foods, including songpyeon rice cakes and jeon savory pancakes, with the residents during his visit.
Direct Appeal to Struggling Residents
"I fully understand how difficult it is to raise a child alone, study and prepare for the future all at the same time, even with the help of a facility like this," Oh said. He added that he hopes Seoul’s various support programs, including Seoul Learn, provide strength to residents working toward their studies and independence.
Push for Active City Services
Emphasizing the necessity of continuous assistance through pregnancy, delivery, and parenting, Mayor Oh instructed facility personnel to proactively advertise municipal programs so vulnerable individuals, such as pregnant teens, fail to miss out on aid.
Overview of Self-Sufficiency Initiatives
The Seoul Metropolitan Government operates several initiatives aimed at fostering self-sufficiency among single parents:
- Household Services: Available for single-parent households with incomes at or below 180 percent of the median.
- Welfare Facility Operations: Designed for mothers in crisis pregnancies and those without housing at or below 100 percent of the median.
- Transit Grants: Granted to kids between 13 and 18 years old belonging to single-parent families earning 65 percent or less of the median income.
- Education Cost Support: Allocated for high school students in households with incomes at or below 65 percent of the median.
- Youth Single-Parent Support: Covers child-rearing allowances, GED study costs, and self-sufficiency incentives for those at or below 90 percent of the median.
Round-the-Clock Crisis Support
The city also runs an integrated support center for mothers facing unplanned pregnancies or dealing with financial, psychological, or physical challenges. The center offers confidential, one-on-one support throughout the pregnancy and child-rearing process. Counselors are available 24 hours a day by phone or through the KakaoTalk channel "Crisis Pregnancy Counseling Support."
Worth a look