Disabled Pension Recipients to Receive Up to 420,000 KRW Starting This Year... Additional Benefits Raised for the First Time in 11 Years

Basic Salary Increased by 3.6% Reflecting Inflation Rate
Additional Costs Due to Disability Considered... Supplementary Allowance Raised by 10,000 Won

From this year, the disability pension will increase by 21,630 KRW compared to last year. Recipients of the disability pension will receive up to approximately 420,000 KRW per month.

On the 7th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that from this month, disability pension recipients will receive a maximum of 424,810 KRW per month, combining the basic pension of 334,810 KRW and an additional pension of 90,000 KRW.

The disability pension was implemented in July 2010 to support the livelihood stability and enhance welfare for people with severe disabilities who face difficulties in daily life due to their disabilities. The disability pension consists of a basic pension that compensates for income reduced due to loss of work ability and an additional pension that covers extra costs caused by the disability.

The basic pension amount is determined by reflecting the previous year's consumer price inflation rate according to the Disability Pension Act. This year's basic pension amount is 334,810 KRW, increased by 11,630 KRW from last year's 323,180 KRW, reflecting last year's consumer price inflation rate of 3.6%. The additional pension amount is increased by 10,000 KRW from the previous 80,000 KRW to 90,000 KRW, considering extra costs due to disability. This is the first increase in the additional pension in 11 years since 2013.

The eligible recipients are the bottom 70% income group among people with severe disabilities according to Article 4 of the Disability Pension Act. The income threshold for the bottom 70% is announced annually considering the income and assets of people with severe disabilities and the inflation rate.

This year's eligibility threshold is 1,300,000 KRW for single-person households (an increase of 80,000 KRW from last year) and 2,080,000 KRW for couple households (an increase of 128,000 KRW from last year). Those with recognized income below these amounts can receive the disability pension.

The disability pension is regularly paid to recipients on the 20th of each month according to the Disability Pension Act and its enforcement decree. However, since the 20th of this month falls on a Saturday, the January disability pension, reflecting the increased basic and additional pension amounts, will be paid on January 19th, the previous day, in accordance with the law.

Severely disabled individuals who wish to receive the disability pension can apply in person at the administrative welfare centers (eup, myeon, dong) nationwide regardless of their registered address or apply online through the Bokjiro website.

Jung Yoon-soon, Director of Social Welfare Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, “It is expected that about 360,000 more people will benefit from the disability pension this year due to the increase in the eligibility threshold and other factors. We will continue to expand support for the disability pension to ensure income security for low-income people with severe disabilities and strengthen welfare for vulnerable groups.”