South Korea's monthly 500,000 KRW cash benefit for Korean youth aging out of welfare-institution care or foster care — up to 30M KRW over 5 years, plus regional settlement grants and housing/medical support.
| Target | Korean youth within 5 years of exiting a Korean child-welfare institution or foster care |
| Care duration | Must have been under continuous Korean care ≥ 2 years (expanded in 2024 to include early exits before age 18) |
| Age window | Up to 5 years after Korean care-termination (typically ages 18–24, or earlier after 2024 revision) |
| Income test | None — paid regardless of Korean personal income/assets |
| Stacking | Can be combined with Korea's Youth Tomorrow Savings, Youth Leap Account, housing benefit, etc. (each program's own conditions apply) |
| Monthly allowance | 500,000 KRW × up to 60 months (5 years) |
| 5-year total | Up to 30,000,000 KRW |
| Pay date | Around the 20th of each month to the Korean recipient's own bank account |
| Regional settlement grant | 10M–20M KRW (Seoul 20M / Daejeon·Gyeonggi·Jeju 15M / Gyeongnam 12M / other regions 10M, etc.) |
| Child Development Account (디딤씨앗통장) | Korean gov 1:2 matching until age 17, withdrawable after Korean care-termination |
| Housing / medical / job support | LH jeonse housing priority 1, Medical Aid Type 1, Korean housing benefit, case management at Korean self-reliance centers |
| Application window | Year-round from Korean care-termination date |
| Payment start | Approvals may be backdated to the care-termination month — confirm with Korean local government |
| Payment period | Up to 60 monthly installments (5 years) from Korean care-termination month |
| Eligibility check | Korean community center (dong/myeon jumin-senter) or Bokjiro online |
Eligibility and amounts change each Korean fiscal year — always check official notices before applying.
| Korea Welfare Hotline | 129 (toll-free, Korea only) |
| NCRC | 02-6454-8500 |
| Korean Self-Reliance Support Agency | At each Korean province / metropolitan city |
| Korean Community Center | Application & eligibility checks |
This page summarizes publicly available information from Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Center for the Rights of the Child, and Bokjiro as of April 2026. The monthly allowance, settlement grant amounts, and eligibility may change with Korean annual guidelines and local budgets; the figures shown are estimates with no legal effect. Before applying, confirm current rules at a Korean community center, self-reliance support agency, or NCRC. The operator of this page is not responsible for decisions made solely on the basis of this content. This program applies exclusively to residents of the Republic of Korea.
The Self-Reliance Youth Allowance (자립수당) is a South Korean cash benefit for '자립준비청년' — Korean young adults who have aged out of child-welfare institutions (group homes, community homes) or foster care — run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare together with the National Center for the Rights of the Child. Korean youth within 5 years of their care-termination date receive 500,000 KRW per month for up to 60 months, totaling up to 30,000,000 KRW. A 2024 amendment to the Korean Child Welfare Act extended eligibility to those whose care ended before age 18. Recipients also receive regional settlement grants (10M–20M KRW), Child Development Account payouts, LH priority jeonse housing, Korean Medical Aid Type 1, housing benefit, and education/employment case-management — with no income or asset test and full stacking with programs like the Youth Tomorrow Savings Account and Youth Leap Account.
Yes. Under Korea's 2024 Child Welfare Act amendment, Korean youth who exited care before 18 are eligible — provided they were under continuous care for at least 2 years. Confirm your specific case with your Korean local government or self-reliance support agency.
Korean regional settlement grants (10M–20M KRW), the Child Development Account (디딤씨앗통장), LH priority jeonse housing, Medical Aid Type 1, housing benefit, Korean tuition support, and employment/startup assistance. See Jaripon (jaripon.ncrc.or.kr) for a full Korean catalog.
Yes — stacking is allowed in principle. You must still meet each Korean program's own income/age requirements. Check each program on Bokjiro, KINFA, or the Asset Formation Portal.
Closing the designated Korean bank account, long overseas stays, death, or disqualifying criminal convictions can halt payments. Report any change of address, contact, or bank account to the Korean community center or self-reliance agency immediately.
Korean provinces run their own programs (Seoul ~20M, Daejeon/Gyeonggi/Jeju ~15M, Gyeongnam ~12M, others ~10M). Apply via your Korean institution, foster family, or self-reliance agency at the time of care-termination; confirm details at your Korean provincial government or on Jaripon.
The allowance assumes Korean residence. Long overseas stays (typically 30–90+ days) can pause payments. Consult your Korean community center or self-reliance agency before leaving Korea.
South Korea's Self-Reliance Youth Allowance (자립수당) is a 2026 cash benefit operated by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Center for the Rights of the Child for 자립준비청년 — Korean young adults who have exited Korean child-welfare institutions or foster care. Eligible Korean youth (2+ years of prior care, within 5 years of care-termination) receive 500,000 KRW per month for up to 60 months, totaling up to 30,000,000 KRW, with payments on the 20th of every month to their own Korean bank account. A 2024 Korean Child Welfare Act revision extended eligibility to those who exited before age 18. Korean provinces also provide settlement grants (Seoul 20M KRW, Daejeon/Gyeonggi/Jeju 15M, Gyeongnam 12M, other regions 10M, etc.), along with Child Development Account payouts (1:2 matching until 17), LH priority jeonse housing, Medical Aid Type 1, Korean housing benefit, tuition and job/startup support. There is no Korean income or asset test, and stacking with Youth Tomorrow Savings and Youth Leap Account is allowed. Apply at a Korean community center or on Bokjiro (bokjiro.go.kr). For details, consult Bokjiro, NCRC (ncrc.or.kr), Jaripon (jaripon.ncrc.or.kr), or the Korean welfare hotline 129. This program applies exclusively to residents of the Republic of Korea.