Expansion of 550 Public and National Childcare Centers... Supply of 145,000 Public Rental Homes for Youth and Newlyweds

On the 23rd, the Ministry of Education held the 5th Social Relations Ministers' Meeting via video conference at the Government Sejong Complex and the Seoul Government Complex, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The government plans to increase the number of national and public daycare centers by more than 550 and national and public kindergarten classes by more than 500 this year. It will supply 145,000 public rental housing units targeting youth, newlyweds, and vulnerable groups.

On the 23rd, the Ministry of Education held the 5th Social Relations Ministers' Meeting via video at the Government Sejong Complex and Seoul Office, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye, to discuss the 'Inclusive Nation Social Policy Implementation Plan Performance Review and Future Plans.'

The government decided to expand national and public daycare centers by more than 550 and national and public kindergarten classes by more than 500 within the year. It will also provide full-day care services to 459,000 people through school and community care.

A new service will be implemented to allow individuals with severe developmental disabilities to participate in group-type daytime activities with the help of dedicated care personnel.

To reduce blind spots in childcare expenses, child-rearing costs will be paid to single parents receiving livelihood benefits, and the age limit for additional child-rearing expenses for young single parents will be raised from under 24 to under 34 years old.

Support for 'catastrophic medical expenses' paid to low-income households facing excessive medical costs due to severe illness or injury will also be expanded. To this end, the government will lower the out-of-pocket expense thresholds from 1 million KRW last year to 800,000 KRW this year for basic livelihood security recipients and near-poverty groups, and from 2 million KRW to 1.6 million KRW for those earning 50% or less of the median income.

On the 23rd, the Ministry of Education held the 5th Social Relations Ministers' Meeting via video conference at the Government Sejong Complex and the Seoul Government Complex, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye.

Starting this year, housing benefits will be separately provided to unmarried young adults in their 20s living apart from their parents.

A total of 145,000 public rental housing units will be supplied targeting youth, newlyweds, and vulnerable groups.

The government will support the Tomorrow Savings Deduction for 30,000 young workers employed at small and medium-sized enterprises. The Tomorrow Savings Deduction allows young workers employed at small businesses to accumulate 3 million KRW over two years, with government and company support enabling them to build assets worth 12 million KRW.

To guarantee maternity leave pay for non-regular workers and workers in special employment types before and after childbirth, and to allow parental leave during pregnancy, revisions to the Gender Equality Employment Act will be pursued in the first half of the year.

From the second half of the year, the 52-hour workweek system will be introduced for small workplaces with 5 to 49 employees. Additionally, the government plans to apply unemployment benefits to workers in special employment types.

To ensure basic living for the elderly, the maximum basic pension payment (300,000 KRW per month) will be expanded from the bottom 40% income bracket to all recipients (bottom 70%). To support elderly livelihoods, the government will create 800,000 government-supported senior jobs.

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