The Seoul Metropolitan Government has selected 157 out of 731 households that applied for childcare and housekeeping services to be provided by overseas domestic helpers under Seoul's trial project.

City officials announced on Wednesday that with approximately five applicants for every spot, priority was given to single-parent or dual-income households, families with multiple children, and pregnant mothers.

The labor ministry, the city government, and service providers also considered factors such as the children's ages, service periods, work hours, and regional distribution.

Once a service contract detailing the customized scope of services for each household is finalized, the foreign helpers will begin the six-month trial from September 3, under a minimum wage of nine-thousand-860 won per hour, or approximately seven U.S. dollars and 25 cents.

The program was developed by the central and Seoul city governments in response to the rising cost of domestic services, partly driven by a shrinking domestic workforce amid an aging society.