GWANGMYEONG — Gwangmyeong, a city in Gyeonggi Province, has finalized a five-year medium-term roadmap spanning residents' entire lives, from infancy through old age, and is moving to build a gap-free lifelong welfare system under its "basic society" policy framework, which aims to guarantee a minimum standard of living at every stage of life.
The city held the third regular meeting of the city committee overseeing the framework at city hall on the 27th and discussed the comprehensive medium-term plan for 2026 through 2030. The plan is the product of the committee, which was launched in February as the first of its kind in the country, and a task force that began operating in April.
The plan is built around six pillars: tailored strategies for five life stages — infants and toddlers, children and adolescents, young adults, middle-aged and older working-age residents, and seniors — plus one common strategy applying to all age groups. To cut overlap and coverage gaps in existing programs and improve effectiveness, the city sorted individual projects into core, new and expanded tasks and drew up annual implementation plans.
By stage, infants and toddlers will receive close support from pregnancy and childbirth through childcare, while children and adolescents will see broader universal education welfare and career opportunities. Young adults will get help with housing and income foundations along with measures to prevent social isolation, middle-aged residents will receive reemployment and health management support, and seniors will be offered a safety net for a dignified old age, including integrated care and smart health management.
As a strategy common to all life stages, the city plans to expand issuance of the Gwangmyeong Love local currency, subsidize public transit fares, offer education using artificial intelligence and pursue a carbon-neutral energy transition, easing residents' living costs in practical terms. The city will first reorganize its interdepartmental cooperation system this year, then widen the scope of the program in phases through 2030.
"Hardship in life is not confined to one period but carries over into the next stage of life," Gwangmyeong Mayor Park Seung-won said. "We will complete an integrated support system organized by life stage so that every resident can receive appropriate support at every moment of their lives."