Even Receiving Only a 'Child Support Enforcement Order' Leads to Travel Ban... Passed in the Full Meeting of the Committee on Gender Equality and Family

Relaxation of Penalty Requirements for Non-Payment of Child Support
Elevation of Child Support Enforcement Agency to Independent Institution Status

The National Assembly's Women and Family Committee passed a bill that allows travel bans to be imposed on those who fail to pay child support upon receiving an enforcement order.

On the morning of the 23rd, the Women and Family Committee held a plenary session and approved the amendment to the "Act on Securing and Supporting Child Support Enforcement" containing this provision.

According to the amendment, if child support continues to be unpaid, the conditions for imposing enforcement measures such as driver's license suspension and travel bans, which currently require a "detention order," have been relaxed to the earlier stage of an "enforcement order."

There have been criticisms that it takes an average of two years for the court to decide on a detention order, making it difficult to swiftly impose sanctions on those who fail to fulfill their obligations.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Additionally, the amendment plans to elevate the Child Support Enforcement Agency, currently an organization under the Korea Healthy Family Promotion Agency, to an independent institution with enhanced authority. As an independent institution, the Child Support Enforcement Agency will be able to directly file lawsuits under its own name.

However, the amendment does not include the introduction of a prepayment system where the state pays child support in advance on behalf of the non-paying party and later claims the costs from the debtor.

Earlier, on the 21st, the Women and Family Committee held a bill review subcommittee meeting and consolidated and coordinated 25 partial amendments to the Act on Securing and Supporting Child Support Enforcement into a committee alternative, which was approved. On that day, both ruling and opposition parties also discussed the child support prepayment system, but due to disagreements over budget securing and other issues, they agreed to continue discussions at a future bill subcommittee meeting.

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