Anchor: Key presidential hopefuls have rolled out pledges to tackle the nation’s dismal birth rate. Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is proposing to establish a universal parenting and child care system, while the People Power Party’s Kim Moon-soo is seeking to create a foundation for youth independence. 
In the third installment of our analysis of the candidates’ campaign pledges, our Bae Joo-yon has more on their policies on raising the nation’s low birth rate.

Report: As a way to address the nation’s low birth rate, Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has vowed to gradually expand coverage under the nation’s monthly child allowance program from children under age 8 to those under 18.

He also pledged to lay the foundation for all workers to be eligible to go on parental leave, regardless of the type of employment. 

Discussing child care policies, Lee promised to boost support for public child care services, pursue after-school child care services with local governments, expand tuition aid for after-school classes in elementary schools, and centralize the management system for kindergartens and day care centers. 

Kim, meanwhile, pledged to structurally resolve the low birth rate problem by lessening young adults’ burdens related to employment, housing, education, marriage and parenting. 

He promised to annually provide 100-thousand housing units in which couples will receive support to cover housing costs for three years upon getting married, another three years when they have their first child, and another three years when they have their second child. 

Kim also promised to provide 200-thousand housing units every year to young adults, newlyweds and parenting couples, as well as ease requirements for first-time borrowers. 

He also vowed to extend the contract period for jeonse loans given out to young adults while expanding the supply of apartments and studio apartments for single-person households.

The New Reform Party’s Lee Jun-seok, for his part, promised to provide mobility benefits to households with three or more children, including discounts for parking fees or free valet parking. 
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.