Free Early Childhood Education and Childcare Support Expanded from Five-Year-Olds to Four- and Five-Year-Olds

Support to Begin for Three-Year-Olds by 2027,
Phased Expansion Planned

The eligibility for free early childhood education and childcare support has been expanded from the previous scope of only five-year-olds to now include both four- and five-year-olds starting this year. Parents of children in this age group will automatically receive support without a separate application process, with the amount corresponding to the free education and childcare support being deducted from the existing kindergarten or daycare center fees and any other necessary expenses.

On March 3, the Ministry of Education announced that, to alleviate the financial burden of child-rearing, it will extend the free early childhood education and childcare support-previously provided since July of last year for five-year-olds (approximately 278,000 children)-to include both four- and five-year-olds beginning in March of this year. This policy is in line with the government's pledge and national agenda to strengthen state responsibility for early childhood education and childcare through the phased implementation of free education and childcare for children aged three to five.

Last year, thanks to the free education and childcare support, the additional fees that parents of five-year-olds previously paid to daycare centers or kindergartens were significantly reduced. As of December 2025, kindergarten fees had decreased by 26.6% compared to the previous year.

This year, the scope of free education and childcare support will be expanded to include four- and five-year-old children in daycare centers and kindergartens, totaling approximately 503,000 children. The Ministry of Education plans to cover not only the regular tuition fees for kindergarten but also the fees for after-school programs and other necessary expenses at daycare centers that parents currently shoulder, thereby realizing genuine free early childhood education and childcare. The free education and childcare support will be provided through daycare centers and kindergartens starting in March of this year.

Kang Minkyu, Director-General for Early Childhood Policy, stated, "Having confirmed the effectiveness of the policy last year, we will ensure rigorous implementation again this year to deliver tangible changes that the public can truly feel."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.