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Unmarried men and women in Seoul will also be able to receive support for fertility testing next year as part of the city government's plan to tackle plummeting birthrate.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Sunday, the city will cover the cost of fertility tests for Seoul-based men and women aged between 25 and 49 starting next year, regardless of their marital status.

Women will be eligible for support for ovarian function tests (AMH) and ultrasound tests, which can be up to 130,000 won ($94). Men will be offered a seminal examination and up to 50,000 won.

The city has been providing married people, married couples and prospective couples who are about to get married with such support, but decided to expand its target.

The measure is based on the judgment that discovering in advance any health risk factors that can hinder pregnancy and childbirth will encourage those who have no immediate plans for pregnancy and help rebound the declining birthrate.

The city allocated 3.52 billion won of next year's budget to this end.

Those who want to apply for the support can get a test request form issued at the health center's website or by in-person visit, and get tested at a hospital specialized in fertility, urology, obstetrics and gynecology.

The test fee will be deposited after application.

"Although the need to manage pre-pregnancy health for both men and women has increased, Korea has little support for pre-pregnancy preparation," a Seoul city official said, "The city government has expanded the target to unmarried people to strengthen support for pregnancy preparation."