"Out-of-School Youth, Get Free Health Checkups"

Free Health Checkup Once Every 3 Years for Out-of-School Youth Aged 9-18
Promotion Events Including Facebook Comment Campaigns to Encourage Participation

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on the 31st that it will provide free health checkups for out-of-school youth aged 9 to 18.

Starting from the 1st of next month, the Ministry will operate an intensive promotional period for health checkups for out-of-school youth in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Service and 220 out-of-school youth support centers nationwide (hereinafter referred to as Dream Centers).

Since 2016, the Ministry has been conducting regular health checkups to manage the health of out-of-school youth, prevent diseases, and enable early detection. Any out-of-school youth aged 9 to 18 can receive a free health checkup once every three years. Those aged 19 can also receive a free checkup if it does not overlap with other national health checkups.

During the intensive promotional period, various events will be held. On the Out-of-School Youth Health Checkup Facebook account, a comment event will run for one month starting April 1st, asking participants to fill in the blank for ‘Out-of-School Youth Health Checkup is ○○○○!’ Forty participants will be selected to receive gift vouchers. The Dream Centers will hold a ‘Health Checkup Certification Event’ to encourage applications for health checkups.

On the 9th of next month, when the qualification exam is held, promotional activities will be conducted at Dream Centers nationwide by visiting exam sites to provide information on how to register and undergo health checkups. Youth who have not yet received a checkup will be encouraged through phone calls and text messages.

Out-of-school youth who wish to receive a health checkup can download the application form from the Dream website and visit their local Dream Center or apply by mail or email.

Low-income out-of-school youth who require treatment after a health checkup can receive additional support through the ‘Special Support for Youth in Crisis’ program and cooperation with related local community organizations. The government provides support for treatment and surgery costs for youth without guardians or those not under guardianship. Through support from six national veterans hospitals nationwide (Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon), including the Central Veterans Hospital, treatments such as dental, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and ophthalmology are available.