Support Provided Even When Receiving Livelihood Benefits
Age Limit Raised to 34 and Includes Foreigners
A cup noodle container, presumed to have been pushed while water cleaning was being done, is submerged in a puddle at a villa in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, where a fire broke out while elementary school siblings were cooking ramen. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Single-parent families receiving livelihood benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act will now also be able to receive child-rearing expenses support.
On the 24th, the National Assembly plenary session is scheduled to submit and process the "Partial Amendment to the Single-Parent Family Support Act" containing this provision. Until now, single-parent families receiving livelihood benefits (below 30% of median income) were not eligible to receive child-rearing expenses (200,000 KRW per month for single-parent families), which are provided based on a standard of 52% or less of the median income. Going forward, those with income below 30% of the median will also receive additional child-rearing expenses.
Jeong Chun-sook, Chairperson of the National Assembly's Gender and Family Committee, stated, "Single parents raise their children alone, work to support their livelihood, and handle household chores by themselves, resulting in very poor economic and social independence foundations, and they face difficulties in childcare due to time poverty. The Incheon Brother Ramen fire incident is considered a tragedy that occurred under such circumstances."
After the passage of this bill, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the responsible department, must expedite the reorganization of the support system. A Ministry of Economy and Finance official said, "With the passage of this bill, the gap between non-recipients of livelihood benefits with incomes between 31% and 52% of the median may widen, so the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family should establish a reasonable system through enforcement ordinances, enforcement rules, and notifications to prevent dissatisfaction."
The age limit for youth single-parent support will also be raised from the current 24 to 34 years old. The Basic Youth Act enacted in February this year defines the youth age limit as 34 or younger, and reflecting the reality of increasing youth unemployment, the scope of eligibility has been expanded. The amendment also includes provisions to strengthen support for multicultural single-parent families, stating that foreigners raising children with South Korean nationality can also be eligible for single-parent family support.
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