Dongjak-gu Provides 200,000 KRW Monthly Social First Step Allowance for Care-Leaving Children

To Support the Independence and Stable Integration of Children Aging Out of Care as Members of Society, the District Itself Prepares Support Measures... ▲ Seoul's First Actual Expense Insurance Premium Support ▲ Monthly 200,000 KRW Social First Step Allowance ▲ Priority Supply of Dongjak-gu Type Youth Housing

Changwoo Lee, Mayor of Dongjak District

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) is supporting the independent living of protection-terminated children who must leave local child welfare facilities and become self-reliant upon turning 18.

To help protection-terminated children take their first steps into society and settle stably as members of the community, the district has independently established a self-reliance support plan.

The support includes ▲ reimbursement of actual insurance premiums ▲ payment of a Social First Step Allowance ▲ priority supply of Dongjak-gu type youth housing, among others.

The district is the first autonomous district in Seoul to support enrollment in actual expense insurance that covers injury and illness.

Additionally, separate from the government-supported self-reliance allowance (300,000 KRW per month for 3 years), the district pays a Social First Step Allowance of 200,000 KRW monthly for 3 years after leaving the facility.

In particular, when supplying youth-tailored public housing, the district prioritizes those who are about to leave or have left child welfare facilities within the past 5 years and are homeless, within 5% of the total supply, providing a comfortable and stable housing environment after leaving the facility. Furthermore, Dongjak Credit Union has signed a ‘Customized Housing Tenant Deposit Loan Agreement’ to provide loans covering up to 90% of the deposit with a 5-year grace period for repayment, supporting tenants who have difficulty preparing the deposit.

For detailed information on support for protection-terminated children, inquiries can be made to the Dongjak-gu Office Child and Youth Division.

Lee Chang-woo, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, said, “We have prepared support measures at the district level to ensure that protection-terminated children can settle stably when taking their first steps into society,” and added, “We will do our best to fulfill the public responsibility for protection-terminated children.”