In a country wrestling with the world’s lowest fertility rate, Songpa District in southern Seoul stands out as an exception: it boasts the highest number of newborns among all districts in Korea’s capital.

To sustain this momentum, local officials are looking beyond standard subsidies, focusing instead on a growing yet often overlooked demographic — multicultural and immigrant families.

Songpa District Office announced Monday a specialized, hands-on parenting program designed specifically for marriage immigrants and foreign-born expectant parents. Scheduled for Aug. 27 at the Songpa Maternal and Child Health Promotion Center, the two-hour intensive workshop aims to bridge language and cultural divides that frequently leave foreign parents feeling isolated during pregnancy and childbirth.

The initiative comes at a critical time. While Korea’s national demographic crisis dominates headlines, urban centers are seeing an increasingly diverse population. Yet, foreign-born mothers often encounter steep hurdles in navigating Korea’s highly specific post-natal care culture and medical systems. By offering tailored instruction, Songpa District officials said they aim to transform intimidating medical advice into practical, accessible care.

Led by certified infant care specialists, the practical session will guide couples step-by-step through essential newborn care. Expectant parents will engage in interactive exercises covering swaddling techniques, safe holding postures, breastfeeding, burping, infant bathing, and decoding newborn cries. Crucially, the district is encouraging both spouses to attend together, promoting a shared approach to early childhood care from day one.

Eligibility extends to immigrant families residing in Songpa District as well as Korean citizens returning after prolonged stays abroad. Online registration opens Monday through the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s official pregnancy and childbirth portal (https://seoul-agi.seoul.go.kr/index), with slots allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

District Mayor Seo Kang-seok emphasized that building a family-friendly city requires addressing the nuanced needs of all residents. Through its dedicated maternal center, Songpa continues to expand localized public health services aimed at lowering the barriers to parenthood.

"I hope this program provides practical help to marriage immigrants expecting a child and their spouses as they welcome new life in an unfamiliar environment," Seo said. "We will continue to thoughtfully expand a wide range of childbirth and child-rearing support initiatives to make Songpa District an even better place to raise children."

Amid regional efforts to reverse declining fertility rates, Songpa’s targeted approach highlights how local policy is evolving to accommodate an increasingly diverse parent demographic.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.