Special Care Support for Preschool and Elementary Children to be Paid on 28th and 29th... Middle School Students to Receive in October

Expanded to about 6.7 million including middle school students... Cash payments via School Banking accounts, etc.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] To alleviate the caregiving burden on parents caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a special childcare support payment of 200,000 KRW per preschool child will be paid in a lump sum on the 28th of this month.

The special childcare support payment of 200,000 KRW per elementary school student will be paid by the 29th of this month, and the non-face-to-face learning support payment of 150,000 KRW per middle school student is scheduled to be paid in October after Chuseok.

On the 24th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced the plan to implement the 'Special Childcare and Non-face-to-face Learning Support' project, which was approved by the National Assembly on the 22nd.

The special childcare and non-face-to-face learning support project was promoted to reduce the increased caregiving burden on parents due to COVID-19. It consists of a special childcare support project providing 200,000 KRW per preschool and elementary school child, and a non-face-to-face learning support project providing 150,000 KRW per middle school student to alleviate the economic burden at home caused by middle school closures and remote education, which are compulsory education.

This project has been expanded to about 6.7 million children under 18 years old, including elementary school students who relatively require direct caregiving from guardians and middle school students who are subject to compulsory education, based on the experience of the 'Childcare Coupon' promoted during the first supplementary budget. In addition, to ensure prompt and accurate payment and to allow convenient use tailored to each household's situation, the support will be provided in cash.

Preschool children: Lump-sum payment on the 28th to child allowance accounts
Elementary school students: Sequential payment by the 29th to school banking accounts, etc.
Middle school students' non-face-to-face learning support: Scheduled for payment in October

The special childcare support payment of 200,000 KRW per preschool child for 2.52 million children will be paid in a lump sum on the 28th by local governments to the existing child allowance accounts without a separate application process. This applies to children born between January 2014 and September 2020 who are currently receiving or scheduled to receive child allowance this month.

The special childcare support payment of 200,000 KRW per elementary school student for 2.7 million children will be paid by individual schools to children enrolled in elementary schools through school banking accounts, etc. Payments will be made sequentially by the 29th of this month, starting with schools that have completed preparations.

The non-face-to-face learning support payment of 150,000 KRW per middle school student for 1.32 million children will be paid after Chuseok in October through school banking accounts, etc., without a separate application from students or parents.

Children of elementary and middle school age who are not enrolled in national, public, private elementary, middle, high schools, or special schools in Korea will receive support payments after on-site application and registration at the education support office of their registered residence.

Guardians of out-of-school children must visit the education support office with the guardian’s ID, a copy of the bankbook, and a resident registration certificate (showing cohabitants) to fill out the temporary childcare support application form and apply for the support payment. If the applicant is not the guardian, additional submission of the proxy’s ID, power of attorney, and a copy of the guardian’s ID is required. Applications and registrations related to out-of-school children will be accepted from the 28th of this month to October 16th, with payments scheduled for October. Children residing in child welfare facilities will receive payments through the 'Didim Seed Bank (Child Development Support Account)' to help with future independence.

Park Jae-chan, Director of the Child Welfare Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "We hope the temporary childcare support project will help families raising children under middle school age who are experiencing difficulties due to COVID-19 caregiving and non-face-to-face learning."

Jang Mi-ran, Director of the Educational Welfare Policy Division at the Ministry of Education, said, "Since guardian application is essential for out-of-school children, we ask everyone to pay close attention so that applications are not missed and are submitted to the education support office within the application period."