₩1 million for getting married: Incheon to begin paying grants to newlyweds next July

【Financial News Incheon = Han Gab-soo, staff reporter】 As housing and living expenses become a heavier burden in the early years of marriage, Incheon City will provide newlywed couples with a marriage grant of 1 million won. The aim is to ease the financial burden that can make people hesitate to marry and create an environment more conducive to marriage.
Incheon City announced on the 10th that it is pursuing a program to provide a one-time grant of 1 million won to couples who register their marriage on or after January 1, 2027. Each spouse will receive 500,000 won, with no restrictions based on age or income.
Eligible couples must apply within one year of their marriage registration date. After verifying eligibility, the grant will be paid into a bank account in the applicant’s name. The city is preparing the necessary procedures, aiming to launch the program in July 2027.
The program is a local government support measure aimed at reducing the financial burden in the early years of marriage. According to statistics from the National Data Agency, there were 13,991 marriages in Incheon in 2025. By district, Seo-gu had the most, with 3,271, followed by Bupyeong District with 2,531, Michuhol-gu with 1,877, and Namdong District with 1,858. Ongjin County had the fewest, with 95.
Incheon City is calculating the program’s scale and budget based on marriage statistics and plans to finalize the detailed eligibility criteria and application procedures, taking into account government program guidelines and the funding-sharing structure.
However, it remains unclear how much a one-time grant of 1 million won will ease the structural burdens that stand in the way of marriage and childbirth. Some have also pointed out the need for a policy approach that addresses the practical challenges facing young people, including housing costs, child-rearing expenses, and unstable employment.
Kyung Sun Kim, the city’s head of the Women and Family Bureau, said, “The marriage grant is meaningful because it helps ease the initial financial burden on couples preparing for marriage or embarking on a new chapter,” adding, “We will prepare to ensure the program is implemented smoothly in coordination with government policies.”
[email protected] Han Gab-soo Reporter