Seodaemun-gu to Provide 'Social First Step Allowance' for Three Years to Children Aging Out of Care

Separate from the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 'Independent Living Allowance for Care-Leaving Children,' 200,000 KRW monthly for 3 years... First implemented by Seoul's autonomous districts for youths leaving welfare facilities at age 18

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) is the first autonomous district in Seoul to provide a monthly "First Step into Society Allowance" of 200,000 KRW for three years to "protected children who have aged out" within the district.

Protected children who have aged out refer to children who have lived in child welfare facilities or similar institutions without parental care and must become independent upon reaching the age of 18.

The district provides the "First Step into Society Allowance" separately from the Ministry of Health and Welfare's "Allowance for Independent Living of Protected Children Who Have Aged Out" to help these children settle more stably in society.

The eligible recipients are children who have aged out of child welfare facilities or foster care since May 2017 and within the past three years.

Additionally, based on the date of aging out, the child must have been continuously under protection for at least two years and have had a resident registration address in Seodaemun-gu for at least six months as of the application date.

The Seodaemun-gu First Step into Society Allowance can be applied for at any time, but the district plans to select recipients for May payments by accepting pre-applications until the 8th of this month.

Applicants must complete the "Independent Living Education for Protected Children Who Have Aged Out" lecture on the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency's financial portal (http://edu.kinfa.or.kr), print out the "Certificate of Completion of Cyber Lecture," and visit the district office's Child and Youth Division (located on the 5th floor of Hong Eun 2-dong Community Center) with their ID to apply in person.

The three-year payment period is calculated from the application date.

This "First Step into Society Allowance" payment is based on the "Seodaemun-gu Ordinance on Support for Children Leaving Child Welfare Facilities," which came into effect on February 19 of this year.

Meanwhile, Seodaemun-gu also provides loan support of up to 10 million KRW per person for rental deposits when protected children who have been household heads without housing for five years among district residents rent housing that is not eligible for public loan support.

For more details, contact the Child Care Team of the Child and Youth Division at Seodaemun-gu Office (330-1297).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.