Gwangsan-gu Introduces Gwangju's First 'Child Identification Card' to Protect Undocumented Children

Official Verification of Children Without Birth Registration

Foundation Established for Linking Healthcare and Welfare Support

Gwangsan-gu in Gwangju will be the first in the city to introduce the 'Child Identification Card' system, which administratively verifies the existence of undocumented children with migrant backgrounds. This measure aims to bring children who have been left outside the system due to lack of birth registration or loss of residency status into the local protection network.

On April 2, Gwangsan-gu announced that it will implement a public verification system centered around issuing the 'Child Identification Card' to protect the basic rights of undocumented children with migrant backgrounds.

Gwangsan District Office, Gwangju.

Undocumented children with migrant backgrounds are those who have not had their births registered or whose parents have lost their residency status, resulting in the absence of official identity registration. As a result, these children have continued to face difficulties in accessing public services such as healthcare, welfare, and education.

The public verification system will issue a 'Child Identification Card' to undocumented children with migrant backgrounds under the age of 18 who reside in Gwangsan-gu, thereby administratively verifying their existence. While this does not grant nationality or residency status, the core goal is to enable connections to necessary support such as healthcare and welfare services.

This system is being implemented in accordance with the 'Ordinance on the Identification and Support of Undocumented Children with Migrant Backgrounds in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City,' enacted in December 2025. Based on this ordinance, Gwangsan-gu will establish a support system utilizing both public and private resources.

Any undocumented child with a migrant background under the age of 18 residing in Gwangsan-gu is eligible to apply for the 'Child Identification Card,' regardless of their parents' residency status. Applications can be submitted not only by parents but also by third parties.

Anyone wishing to apply must prepare an application form, parents' identification, a birth certificate issued in Korea, and a photo of the child, and submit them in person at the Gwangsan-gu Department of Migrant Policy. The child must be present during the initial application.

Gwangsan-gu will collaborate with migrant support organizations to identify eligible children and provide guidance on applying for the identification card. Even after the card is issued, the district will continue to expand cooperation with relevant agencies in healthcare, welfare, and education to ensure necessary support is provided.

Nah Jinhwa, head of the Migrant Support Team in Gwangsan-gu, stated, "Through the public verification system being implemented for the first time in Gwangju, we will establish a framework to protect and support undocumented children with migrant backgrounds who are outside the institutional system within our local community. We will do our utmost to create an environment in which all children can grow up healthily without discrimination."

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