South Korea 2026 Youth Leap Account (Cheongnyeon Doyak Gyejwa) Guide

Official Republic of Korea long-term savings program for residents aged 19–34: save up to 700,000 KRW/month for 5 years and receive government matching + tax-free interest (~50M KRW at maturity)

🏛️Korea Inclusive Finance Agency (KINFA) — official Youth Leap Account info pageOpen official page ↗
💰 Estimate Your Maturity Payout
Estimated Payout at 5-Year Maturity
50,280,000 KRW
Principal (5y)
42,000,000 KRW
Gov Contribution
1,980,000 KRW
Est. Interest
6,300,000 KRW
※ Simple sum of principal + government contribution + interest (6% p.a. assumption, varies by bank). Actual interest depends on bank-specific rates. The 60M–75M KRW income tier receives only the tax exemption (no government contribution).

🎯 Eligibility

AgeKorean residents aged 19 to 34 (+ up to 6 extra years for military service)
Personal incomePrior-year gross salary ≤ 75M KRW, or comprehensive income ≤ 63M KRW
Household income≤ 250% of median income (expanded in 2025)
Financial incomeDisqualified if subject to comprehensive financial-income tax in any of the prior 3 years

💵 Government Contribution by Income Tier (monthly max)

Personal IncomeMatch CapMatch RateMax Monthly Contribution
≤ 24M KRW700,000 KRW6.0%33,000 KRW
24M – 36M KRW700,000 KRW4.6%29,000 KRW
36M – 48M KRW700,000 KRW3.7%25,000 KRW
48M – 60M KRW700,000 KRW3.0%21,000 KRW
60M – 75M KRW--Tax exemption only
※ Per January 2025 expansion. If your monthly deposit is below the match cap, the contribution is computed on the actual deposit.

📝 How to Apply

  1. Check eligibility on KINFA's site or an authorized bank app (income review takes 2–3 weeks).
  2. Apply non-face-to-face via any of the 11 authorized Korean bank mobile apps during the monthly application window (about 2 weeks).
  3. Once approved, open the account and set up monthly contributions (flexible, up to 700,000 KRW/month).
  4. Deposit monthly for 5 years — the government contribution is auto-credited the following month.
  5. At maturity, receive principal + interest + government contribution + full tax exemption (~50M KRW total).

🏦 Authorized Banks (11)

KB Kookmin · Shinhan · Hana · Woori · NH Nonghyup · IBK · Busan · Daegu (iM Bank) · Gwangju · Jeonbuk · Gyeongnam
※ Preferential rates differ by bank (payroll auto-deposit, card usage, auto-transfer bonuses). Compare before choosing.

🚪 Early Termination Rules (relaxed in 2024)

Special-reason terminationFirst-home purchase, marriage, childbirth, retirement, illness, financial distress — keep full principal + interest + contribution + tax exemption
Normal termination after 3+ yearsRetain 60% of government contribution and tax exemption (relaxed in 2024)
Termination before 3 yearsPrincipal and interest returned; government contribution and tax exemption forfeited

📞 Inquiry

KINFA Call Center (Korea)
1397 (no area code)
Authorized Bank Customer Service
Varies by bank
KINFA Official Youth Leap Account Page ↗

This page is an informational summary about a South Korea–only program, based on the Financial Services Commission and KINFA notices (as of April 2026). It is NOT a financial-product sale, brokerage, or investment-advisory service, and applies exclusively to Korean residents. Calculator outputs are illustrative estimates based on simplifying assumptions (e.g., 6% p.a. simple interest) and do NOT guarantee any return — actual interest, government contributions, and maturity proceeds depend on bank rates and government policy changes. Matching rates, household-income thresholds, and early-termination rules may change per Korean government notice and banks' bonus conditions vary. Always verify the latest information on the official site and with your chosen Korean bank before applying. This site makes no warranty as to accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and disclaims all liability for any loss arising from its use.

What is the Youth Leap Account?

The Youth Leap Account (청년도약계좌) is a Republic of Korea policy-savings product for Korean residents aged 19–34. Participants contribute up to 700,000 KRW per month for 5 years; the government matches up to 33,000 KRW per month based on income tier, and all interest is fully tax-exempt. At 5-year maturity, accountholders receive roughly 50M KRW total — 42M in principal, up to ~1.98M in government contributions, and ~6.4M in interest (assuming 6% p.a.). It is administered by South Korea's Financial Services Commission and Korea Inclusive Finance Agency (KINFA), and available via 11 authorized Korean banks through non-face-to-face mobile enrollment.

Can I hold this alongside the Youth Hope Savings or Youth Tomorrow Savings Account?

Holders of the matured Youth Hope Savings can convert to a lump-sum Youth Leap Account. The Youth Tomorrow Savings Account (a separate Korean program for near-poor/low-income youth) may generally be held simultaneously. Confirm stacking eligibility with KINFA at 1397.

Can freelancers and self-employed Korean residents join?

Yes — comprehensive-income earners (including freelancers and sole proprietors) earning ≤ 63M KRW in Korea qualify. Income is auto-verified via Korean National Tax Service (Hometax) tax filings.

Must I deposit the full 700,000 KRW monthly?

No — deposits are flexible from 1,000 to 700,000 KRW per month. Government contributions scale with actual deposits, so lower deposits yield proportionally lower matches.

Can I reapply if I'm rejected?

Yes — the application window opens monthly. After income or eligibility changes (often after the May income-confirmation), you can retry in the next cycle.

Do I forfeit government contributions if I terminate early?

Under the 2024 relaxation, normal termination after 3+ years retains 60% of the government contribution and the tax exemption. Special-reason terminations (marriage, childbirth, home purchase, illness) retain them in full. Termination before 3 years forfeits both the contribution and the tax exemption.

Do existing accountholders benefit from the expanded matching rates?

Yes — from January 2025, the expanded matching rates apply automatically to both new and existing accountholders, with no separate application required.

Korea 2026 Youth Leap Account — Eligibility, Government Contribution, Payout & Bank Comparison

South Korea's Youth Leap Account (청년도약계좌) lets Korean residents aged 19–34 save up to 700,000 KRW per month for 5 years, with the government matching up to 33,000 KRW monthly and all interest fully tax-exempt. Per the January 2025 expansion, personal-income tiers receive matching rates of 6.0% (≤24M KRW), 4.6% (24–36M), 3.7% (36–48M), 3.0% (48–60M), and tax exemption only (60–75M). Eligibility requires personal income ≤ 75M KRW (or comprehensive income ≤ 63M KRW) and household income ≤ 250% of median income. Eligible Koreans can enroll non-face-to-face via 11 authorized banks: KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, NH, IBK, Busan, iM (Daegu), Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongnam. At 5-year maturity, payouts total about 50M KRW (42M principal + government contribution + interest). Early termination after 3+ years retains 60% of contributions and the tax break; special reasons like marriage, childbirth, or first-home purchase retain them fully. Inquiries: KINFA at 1397.

All calculators and tools on this site are based on the laws, tax rates, and policies of the Republic of Korea.

This calculator is provided for informational purposes only.

Results are estimates and may differ from actual amounts.

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