South Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare voucher for every Korean newborn: 2,000,000 KRW (first child) or 3,000,000 KRW (second+). Loaded onto the Korean Happy Card, usable within 1 year
| Eligibility | Korean children born on/after Jan 1, 2024, with Korean birth registration |
| Amount | 2M KRW (first) / 3M KRW (second or later) |
| Payment | One-time voucher points on the Korean Happy Card |
| Filing window | Within 1 year of the Korean birth registration date |
| Usage window | 1 year from the child's birth date (unused balance expires) |
| Operator | Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare (Social Service e-Voucher) |
| All Korean retail — online & offline | Coupang, Market Kurly, E-Mart Mall and other Korean e-commerce accepted |
| Postpartum care centers | Pre-voucher self-pay can be refunded retroactively once voucher issues |
| Korean clinics, pharmacies, hospitals | OB/GYN, pediatrics, pharmacies |
| Baby goods | Formula, diapers, strollers, baby food, apparel — all major Korean retailers |
| Not allowed | Entertainment/gambling (karaoke bars, game arcades, casinos), precious metals, lottery, gift-card resale |
| Program | Amount | Stack? |
|---|---|---|
| Korean Parental Benefit (부모급여) | 1M KRW/mo (age 0) / 500k (age 1) | ✅ Yes |
| Korean Child Allowance | 100k KRW/mo (age 0–7) | ✅ Yes |
| Korean Parental Leave Pay | Up to 2.5M KRW/mo (2026) | ✅ Yes |
| Local Korean birth incentives | 50k–10M KRW by municipality | ✅ Yes (varies) |
Verify the latest spending rules and application steps on Korea's official sources below.
This page summarises public information from South Korea's Ministry of Health & Welfare, Social Service e-Voucher, and Bokjiro as of April 2026. Amounts, spending rules, and filing rules change yearly; individual eligibility is determined by the Korean birth registration date. Calculator outputs are reference-only with no legal effect. Always verify on Bokjiro, voucher.go.kr, or your Korean community center before applying. Limited to residents of the Republic of Korea.
The First-Meet Voucher (첫만남이용권) is a South Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare one-time cash benefit paid to every Korean newborn to ease the early-childcare burden. Korean children born on or after January 1, 2024 receive 2,000,000 KRW for the first child and 3,000,000 KRW for the second and later — loaded as Korean Happy Card voucher points — regardless of household income or assets. Apply within 1 year of the Korean birth registration via Bokjiro, Gov24, or your Korean community center; the voucher must be spent within 1 year of the child's birth. Spending is allowed at almost all Korean retailers online and offline (including Coupang, Market Kurly, E-Mart Mall, Korean postpartum centers, hospitals, pharmacies, and baby-goods stores), except entertainment/gambling outlets. It stacks with Korean Parental Benefit, Child Allowance, Parental Leave Pay, and local Korean birth incentives.
No. Every Korean newborn registered on or after Jan 1, 2024 is eligible regardless of household income or assets.
Each child is paid separately. Twins get first 2M + second 3M = 5M KRW total; triplets add another 3M per additional child.
Yes. The voucher allows retroactive spending after issuance. Korean postpartum centers can refund or offset the earlier payment — keep receipts and confirm the center's policy.
Yes. Coupang, Market Kurly, E-Mart Mall, Home Plus Mall and most Korean e-commerce stores accept it. Some overseas purchases and certain open-market sellers are restricted.
Apply for one from BC, KB Kookmin, Samsung, Shinhan, Woori, Hana, or IBK — card issuance and voucher filing can be handled at the same time.
Any balance left after 1 year from the birth date expires automatically and is not refundable.
South Korea's 2026 First-Meet Voucher (첫만남이용권), run by the Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare, pays 2,000,000 KRW for the first child and 3,000,000 KRW for the second or later child born on or after January 1, 2024, with Korean birth registration. It is loaded as voucher points on the Korean Happy Card. There is no income or asset test — every Korean-registered newborn qualifies. Apply within 1 year of Korean birth registration via Bokjiro (bokjiro.go.kr), Gov24 (gov.kr), or your Korean community center; voucher points expire 1 year from the child's birth date. Spending is permitted at nearly all Korean retailers online and offline (including Coupang, Market Kurly, E-Mart Mall, Korean postpartum centers, hospitals, pharmacies, and baby-goods stores), except entertainment/gambling venues. Twins and triplets each receive the benefit separately (e.g., first 2M + second 3M = 5M KRW total), and the voucher stacks with the Korean Parental Benefit, Child Allowance, Parental Leave Pay, and local Korean birth incentives. Hotlines: Korean Health & Welfare 129; applies to residents of the Republic of Korea only.