Hyundai Motor, Seoul City agree to promote parenting

Hyundai Motor Co. and Seoul City have teamed up to promote child-rearing to help rein in the nation`s declining birthrate.

The nation`s largest automaker and the city government said they signed a partnership agreement yesterday to jointly support childbirth.

The agreement calls for Hyundai to provide discounts for new car purchases to couples in Seoul who are either nursing a baby or scheduled to have one this year.

The latest partnership also allows large families with more than three children under 18 years old to save up to 1.1 million won, for instance, on a purchase of a car worth about 20 million won. This would come from an 800,000 won tax exemption bestowed by the city government and Hyundai Motor`s discount of 300,000 won.

The 300,000 won savings opportunity is given to households who have Seoul City`s "Dadoongi Happy Card," which was created in 2007. Dadoongi means a family with more than two children.

The government-sponsored card, provided to households with more than two children, grants discounts and mileage points for items and events launched by partnering companies.

An estimated 600 local district administrative offices said they were cooperating by promoting the Seoul City and Hyundai partnership on their news bulletin boards and their websites.

The Seoul government`s latest perk is an addition to its existing benefit of providing a 50 percent exemption on car registration taxes to large families residing in Seoul.

By Yoo Soh-jung



(sohjung@heraldm.com)