Seoul launches new support measures, Pregnant women can skip long lines at major events and receive discounts

10 Oct 2024, 17:43 by Sophie-Ha · allkpop

Starting this month, pregnant women living in Seoul will enjoy discounts on admission and usage fees at municipal cultural and sports facilities, including Jamsil Swimming Pool and the Seoul Museum of Art.

They will also receive priority entry at major cultural events hosted by the city, allowing them to skip long lines. Additionally, when visiting City Hall or administrative welfare centers for civil services, pregnant women will be given immediate assistance without having to wait.

On October 9, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced these enhanced support measures in celebration of Pregnant Women’s Day (October 10).

As part of the plan, pregnant women using municipal sports facilities will have free or discounted access to services such as admission, usage, and class fees. At venues like Gocheok Sky Dome and Jamsil Swimming Pool, they will only need to pay half the cost for personal practice sessions or program enrollments. They can also enjoy a free tour of Seoul World Cup Stadium. In addition, a ‘Fast-Track’ system will be implemented at city-hosted cultural events, allowing pregnant women to enter with priority. The city will also encourage its sponsored events to introduce policies that cater to the needs of pregnant women.

Pregnant women will be able to complete administrative tasks more efficiently at City Hall and district offices. The city will set up dedicated service windows for them at public service desks in City Hall’s Open Civil Service Office and in all 25 district offices. These windows will prioritize requests from pregnant women, ensuring faster service.

To access these benefits, pregnant women must download the ‘Seoul Wallet’ app and register for a maternity app card. Previously, they had to carry documents such as a maternity notebook, pregnancy confirmation, or a maternity badge, which could be inconvenient. Now, they can simply verify their status through the app. The maternity app card, introduced for the first time nationwide by Seoul, can be used from pregnancy until six months after the expected delivery date.

Kim Seon Soon, head of the Seoul City Women and Family Affairs Office, said, "We will continue to develop policies for pregnant women and promote a culture of consideration for them across society."

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