Welfare Facility Exiting Youth 'Self-Reliance Allowance' Increased by 50,000 Won from Next Month... 350,000 Won

At the 1st Emergency Economic and Livelihood Meeting,
'Measures to Alleviate High Inflation Burden and Support Livelihood Stability'
Increase in Self-Reliance Allowance from 300,000 KRW to 350,000 KRW

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The self-reliance allowance for young adults who have left child welfare facilities after turning 18 will be increased by 50,000 KRW per month starting next month.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 28th that from August, self-reliance youth (children who have aged out of protection) will receive a monthly self-reliance allowance of 350,000 KRW. This increase in the self-reliance allowance follows the "High Inflation Burden Relief and Living Stability Support Plan" discussed at the 1st Emergency Economic and Livelihood Meeting presided over by the President on the 8th.

The self-reliance allowance support project was implemented as a pilot from April to December 2019 and became a full-scale project from January 2020. Approximately 2,500 self-reliance youth each year are young adults who have been under protection in child care facilities, group homes, or foster care and start living independently after turning 18.

The allowance is paid for five years after independence, and as of the end of this year, about 10,000 young adults are receiving the self-reliance allowance. With this increase, they are expected to receive the first raise in the allowance in three years since 2019.

The allowance is paid monthly on the 20th directly into the recipient’s bank account. Those already receiving the allowance will receive the increased amount without needing to apply separately.

To newly apply for the self-reliance allowance, the individual or their proxy must visit the administrative welfare center of their local eup, myeon, or dong district or apply through the Bokjiro website. Proxies can include relatives, related public officials, facility workers, or foster parents.

Youth who are about to age out of protection can pre-apply for the allowance starting 30 days before their protection ends. Child welfare facilities can submit the application to the administrative welfare center of the eup, myeon, or dong district where the facility is located through a facility worker.

Baek Geum-ju, Director of Population and Child Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "Since extending the payment period of the self-reliance allowance from three to five years last August, this August marks the first time the support amount has been increased. We hope this increase will help self-reliance youth who are facing economic difficulties due to high inflation and employment challenges."

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