For Park Yun-hee, a dietitian in the group catering division at OURHOME, the decision to expand her family came not from a lack of desire, but from a calculation of cost. While she had long known the joy children bring, the financial reality of raising a third child often outweighed the emotional appeal. That changed when her employer introduced a tangible, high-value safety net.
Last year, Park welcomed her third daughter—arriving 13 years after her first child. The timing was not accidental. Park notes that the company’s strong commitment to supporting childcare provided the necessary confidence to move forward with the pregnancy. “I had thought about having a third child due to the fact that of the great happiness children bring, but the financial burden was just as great,” Park said. “After seeing the company’s strong commitment to supporting childcare, I decided to go ahead with the pregnancy.”
Park’s experience is part of a broader trend at OURHOME, where the OURHOME Childbirth and Childcare Support Grant has become a catalyst for family growth. This month, the number of beneficiary households at the company surpassed 100, marking a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to address work-family balance and the broader demographic challenges facing the workforce.
According to company data, 105 households at OURHOME have now received the grant, making it the affiliate with the highest number of beneficiaries among the 16 Hanwha Group companies currently operating the program. Across the entire Hanwha Group, a total of 354 households have benefited from the initiative as of this month.
A Bold Approach to Family Financials
The grant system, launched in May of last year under the leadership of Hanwha Group Executive Vice President Kim Dong-sun of the Future Vision Office, departs from traditional, modest corporate birth bonuses. The program provides 10 million won (approximately $7,300 USD) in after-tax cash support to each household upon the birth of a child. Crucially, there is no limit on how many times a household can receive the grant.
The program began as a pilot within specific affiliates, including Hanwha Galleria and Hanwha Hotels & Resorts. Following a period of positive impact assessment, the group expanded the grant to all affiliates within its Tech & Life Division. For the employees, the funds serve as a practical bridge to cover the immediate, often overwhelming costs of newborn care.
Park Yun-hee, for instance, used her grant to purchase essential baby supplies and a camping caravan, enabling her now five-member family to pursue a shared dream of traveling the country together.
Building Trust Through Welfare
Beyond the immediate financial relief, the grant has served a strategic purpose in corporate integration. OURHOME’s adoption of the benefits coincided with its incorporation into the Hanwha Group in May of last year. Similarly, Gomed Galleria—the former food service division of SHINSEGAE FOOD—rolled out the program immediately after joining the group in December.
In the wake of mergers and acquisitions, employee anxiety regarding job security and cultural shifts is common. A representative from OURHOME noted that while high-cost welfare programs typically capture a long time to implement, the “bold decisions” to prioritize the grant at OURHOME and Gomed Galleria helped dispel concerns and build trust between the employees and the new parent company.
This philosophy was echoed by Executive Vice President Kim Dong-sun, who stated, “We want to share our philosophy of valuing the lives and families of our employees.”
Impact on Household Dynamics
The data suggests the grant is influencing more than just first-time parents. Nearly half of the 105 beneficiary employees at OURHOME are households having a second child or more. This indicates that the program is effectively encouraging the expansion of existing families who might otherwise have stopped at one child due to economic pressures.
For some, the grant shifted a fundamental life trajectory. Chef Choi Jong-hak, the 100th recipient of the grant, had previously been part of a “Double Income No Kids” (DINK) couple. However, the support system encouraged a change of heart, and he recently welcomed a daughter.
![Chef Choi Jong-hak and his family, the 100th recipients of the Childbirth and Childcare Support Grant. [OURHOME]](https://wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202604/15/news-p.v1.20260415.acc82db08c9f4f0bbb7715f5b7b43a60_P1.png)
| Metric | OURHOME | Hanwha Group Total |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary Households | 105 | 354 |
| Grant Amount (After-tax) | 10 Million Won | 10 Million Won |
| Frequency Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Participating Affiliates | 1 | 16 |
The Public Health Perspective
From a medical and public health standpoint, the removal of financial barriers to childbirth is a critical intervention. The psychological stress of financial instability during pregnancy can contribute to adverse maternal health outcomes and postpartum anxiety. When a corporate entity assumes a portion of the financial burden, it not only supports the child’s early development but also protects the mental well-being of the parents.
By integrating these benefits into the corporate structure, companies are moving toward a model where family planning is viewed as a shared societal investment rather than a private financial risk. An OURHOME representative stated that the grant is having a “major impact on decisions to have more children” and pledged that the company will continue to contribute to social development through various support measures.
Disclaimer: This article provides information on corporate welfare policies and general family health trends. It’s not intended as financial or medical advice.
The company is expected to continue monitoring the program’s impact on employee retention and birth rates as it evaluates further support measures for the Tech & Life Division in the coming year.
Do you suppose corporate grants are the most effective way to increase birth rates, or should the focus be on structural policy changes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
