▲ This file photo, taken Aug. 17, 2026, shows a wedding hall in Seoul. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The gender equality ministry said Tuesday it seeks more than 2 trillion won (US$1.46 billion) for next year's budget, with plans to offer 1 million won in cash to every couple getting married.

The ministry proposed a budget of 2.1 trillion won for next year, up 5.5 percent from this year, as part of the government's broader 2027 budget proposal.

Under the budget, the ministry seeks to allocate 166.3 billion won for the cash support program for couples getting married next year.

The program is designed to replace a marriage tax credit program that offered up to 1 million won in benefits per couple and is set to end at the end of 2026.

The government has sought to encourage marriages to tackle the country's chronically low birthrate. The number of marriages in the country reached 240,300 in 2025, marking the highest in seven years.

The ministry seeks to spend a total of 1.5 trillion won on family projects in 2027, up 7.5 percent from this year.

For gender-related projects, the ministry plans to spend 53 billion won, up 32.9 percent from this year.

The ministry said it plans to expand a pilot program offering free sanitary pads at public facilities to a nationwide program next year.

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