More than half of South Korea’s postpartum care centers are concentrated in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The cost of these services has surged, with the highest prices reaching up to 17 million won ($12,600) in areas like Gangnam, Seoul. The price gap between regions has widened significantly, with Gangnam’s costs being more than ten times higher than in other areas.
In Korea, new mothers typically spend around two weeks at a care center receiving medical attention and nutrition to recover from childbirth.
According to data from Rep. Park Hee-seung from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, there are 457 postpartum care centers nationwide - 437 private and 20 public. Of these, 145 are located in Gyeonggi Province and 112 in Seoul, meaning that 56.4 percent of the centers are concentrated in these two regions.
Outside of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, South Gyeongsang Province had the most facilities with 25, followed by Busan and Incheon with 22 each. Meanwhile, Sejong had the fewest, and regions like Gwangju, Ulsan and Jeju had only seven each.
