National Human Rights Commission Calls for Health Insurance Coverage for Guardians of Undocumented Long-Term Resident Children

"Long-Term Stay Unavoidable... Medical Coverage Is Necessary"

There has been a suggestion that the guardians of undocumented long-term resident children in Korea, who have been granted temporary residency status due to recognized circumstances, should be included as eligible subscribers to the regional health insurance program.

National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The National Human Rights Commission announced on March 4 that it had delivered its opinion to a certain insurance corporation, stating that guardians of undocumented long-term resident children in Korea who have been granted the 'G-1-81' residency status should be included as eligible for health insurance coverage.

The Commission explained that this case does not fall under the scope of investigation according to the National Human Rights Commission Act, and therefore the related petition was dismissed. However, it separately expressed its opinion on the need for institutional improvement.

The Commission noted that, regarding the foreign nationals’ health insurance system, management of overdue premium payments has already been strengthened, and stricter standards are applied to foreigners than to Korean nationals. In this context, the Commission determined that it is unreasonable to fully exclude specific residency statuses solely due to concerns about the financial burden.

In particular, the Commission stated that since the G-1-81 residency status is granted to ensure a stable family life for the growth and education of undocumented long-term resident children in Korea, there is also a significant need for medical coverage.

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