Seoul Expands Monthly Rent Support for Youth to Include Jeonse Fraud Victims and Newlywed Couples

Apartment complexes and residential houses in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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The Seoul Metropolitan Government is significantly expanding the eligibility for monthly rent support to promote housing stability for young people without homes.

On April 30, the city announced that this year’s youth monthly rent support program would be completely overhauled. The revised program will move away from focusing solely on single-person households, with eligibility expanded to include newlywed couples without children, young single-parent families, and young victims of jeonse fraud.

Starting in August, up to 15,000 people will receive a maximum of 200,000 won per month for 12 months, totaling 2.4 million won per person. The city stated that, with this reform, groups previously considered policy blind spots have now been brought into the system.

Additionally, young victims of jeonse fraud and young single-parent families will be classified as separate categories, with 1,000 beneficiaries to be selected first for each group.

Furthermore, 500 newlywed couples without children and 500 tenants of the Youth Safe Housing private rental program-who are struggling with high rents in areas near subway stations-will also be supported.

A supplementary system has been prepared for young people whose entry into society has been delayed due to mandatory military service. Depending on the duration of service, the maximum age for application will be relaxed from the current 39 years to up to 42 years. For example, those who have served for two years or more will be eligible if they were born as late as 1983.

The previous youth monthly rent support program raised concerns about overlapping recipients with the housing allowance and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) youth rent programs. In response, the city will adjust the income requirement from 150% or less of the median income to a range of more than 48% and up to 150% of the median income. This will eliminate the double support structure and broaden the overall coverage through a reallocation strategy.

Through this adjustment, the city aims to guide young people with household incomes at or below 48% of the median to apply for housing allowance and the MOLIT youth rent program. The city will then provide additional support to young people who are not eligible for these national programs.

Eligibility is limited to young people aged 19 to 39 (born between 1986 and 2007 according to the resident registration certificate) who are registered residents of Seoul and do not own a home. The applicant must be the tenant. Applicants must reside in housing with a deposit of 80 million won or less and monthly rent of 600,000 won or less. Homeowners, those with general assets exceeding 130 million won, public rental housing residents, and participants in similar support programs are excluded from applying.

The city will announce the selection results at the end of July after reviewing eligibility, with the first round of support payments scheduled to begin at the end of August.

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