Childcare Allowance Protected by 'Seizure-Proof Account'

Follow-up Measures After the Amendment of the Infant and Toddler Care Act
To Protect Minimum Childcare Costs
Bank Account Opening Available from the 14th

Even if an account is seized due to financial difficulties, child-rearing allowances can now be securely protected.

On the 14th, the Ministry of Education announced that from this day forward, child-rearing allowances can be received through seizure-protected accounts. This measure was implemented as a follow-up action after the legal basis for using seizure-protected accounts for child-rearing allowances was established through the amendment of the "Infant Care Act" in February.

The child-rearing allowance is a system that supports all infants and toddlers aged 24 months to under 86 months (before entering elementary school) who are being raised at home without using daycare centers or kindergartens, to alleviate the childcare burden on families.

Until now, in some households, allowances were seized by creditors due to credit issues or financial situations, preventing the funds from being used for actual childcare expenses. With this new measure allowing child-rearing allowances to be received through seizure-protected accounts, the minimum necessary support funds for childcare can be safeguarded.

Previously, in 2022, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission prepared improvement plans including these measures and recommended the Ministry of Health and Welfare to revise related laws and guidelines.

The seizure-protected account exclusively for child-rearing allowances (called the Happy Keeper Account) can be opened at a total of 11 financial institutions. Those who wish to open an account can visit a nearby financial institution and submit a "Child-Rearing Allowance Recipient Confirmation." After opening the account, applicants can visit the local eup/myeon/dong community service center or apply through the Bokjiro website to receive the child-rearing allowance into the designated account.

Kang Min-gyu, Director of the Early Childhood Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Education, stated, "We expect that through this measure, child-rearing allowances will be fully delivered to families who truly need them," and added, "We will continue to explore various support measures to ensure the economic stability of families raising infants and toddlers."