Kang Gi-yoon, the People Power Party’s candidate for mayor of Changwon, unveiled a plan to expand education welfare called the “Changwon-style Dream Entrance Preparation Grant,” promising 500,000 KRW (approximately $375) to every incoming elementary, middle, and high school student.
Kang announced the proposal on the 16th as a central pledge to ease the financial burden that parents face at the start of the school year.
Under the plan, Changwon would provide 500,000 KRW (approximately $375) per student to roughly 22,000 incoming students living in the city, regardless of household income. This universal benefit would be offered in addition to the school uniform subsidies already provided by the Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education.
The funds are intended to cover a wide range of education-related purchases — backpacks, uniforms, and school supplies, as well as books, shoes, eyeglasses, and smart devices. Kang said the benefit would be paid in local currency to encourage spending at small, local businesses.
On the question of funding, Kang said he would prioritize securing resources for education welfare by restructuring festival-related and other nonessential expenditures.
The candidate aims to begin the program for incoming students in March 2027, following an ordinance revision in the second half of 2026 and consultations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
“The entrance-preparation grant is an investment in future generations, not merely a one-time subsidy,” Kang said. “Through distinctive education policies, I will make Changwon a city where parents want to raise their children.”
