South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare voucher for Korean youth aged 19–34: up to 10 professional psychological counseling sessions at a low copayment of 8,000 KRW per session. Includes overview of the broader Korean Mind Investment (마음투자) program.
| Youth Mental Health Voucher | Korean ages 19–34 (income-independent; some Korean cities prioritize by need) |
| Korea Mind Investment program | Adults 18+ referred by a Korean mental health center, university counseling center, or psychiatrist |
| Care-leavers (자립준비청년) | Priority group — copayment can be waived for Korean youth from care |
| Suicide high-risk / self-harm history | Priority group — Korean copay may be waived |
| Overlap | Cannot use both vouchers simultaneously; coordinate with the Korean agency if re-applying |
| Youth Mental Health Voucher | 80,000 KRW/session × up to 10 sessions. Copay ~8,000 KRW/session (income-scaled, waivable) |
| Mind Investment Level 1 | 90,000 KRW/session × 8 sessions. Korean copay 0–30% by income |
| Mind Investment Level 2 | 80,000 KRW/session × 8 sessions. Korean copay 0–30% by income |
| Priority groups | Korean care-leavers, suicide-risk youth, etc. can have copay waived |
| Validity | Use within 120 days of issue (~4 months); unused sessions auto-expire |
| Where to use | Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare-designated counseling centers only |
| Payment | Korea's Happy Card (국민행복카드) auto-deducts voucher; user pays only the copay |
Terms, copay rates, and the Korean designated-provider list change annually — always verify on the Korean sources below and your Korean city's notices.
| Korea Health & Welfare Call Center | 129 (24/7) |
| Korea Suicide Prevention Hotline | 1393 (free, 24/7) |
| Korea Mental Health Crisis | 1577-0199 (24/7) |
| Korea Youth Counseling | 1388 (24/7) |
| Korea Women's Crisis Line | 1366 |
| Korea Lifeline | 1588-9191 |
This page summarizes the Korean Youth Mental Health Voucher and the Korean Mind Investment (마음투자) program as publicly documented by Korea's Ministry of Health & Welfare, KHEPI, and local Korean mental health welfare centers as of April 2026. Benefit amounts (80,000 KRW/session), copays (~8,000 KRW/session), maximum sessions (10), income criteria, and priority-group rules may change by Korean fiscal year. This page is informational and has no legal effect — it is not a substitute for Korean medical diagnosis or treatment. The operator is not responsible for copay charges, schedule expirations, or provider changes arising from reliance on this page. Always verify eligibility and designated Korean providers on Bokjiro (bokjiro.go.kr), your Korean mental health welfare center, and the Korean National Mental Health Portal (mentalhealth.go.kr). In a Korean crisis, call 129, 1393, 1577-0199, or 119 immediately.
The Korea Youth Mental Health Voucher is a Korean social-service voucher run by Korea's Ministry of Health & Welfare, providing Korean residents aged 19–34 with up to 10 professional psychological counseling sessions at a per-session copay of only ~8,000 KRW. Since 2024, Korea has expanded mental-health support through the nationwide Mind Investment (마음투자) program: Korean adults 18+ referred by a Korean mental-health welfare center, university counseling center, or psychiatrist can also receive 8 sessions priced at 80,000–90,000 KRW with a 0–30% copayment scaled by Korean income. Korean care-leavers (자립준비청년) and high-risk groups may have copayments waived entirely. Applications go through Korea's Bokjiro portal or your local Korean welfare center; once approved, vouchers are loaded onto Korea's Happy Card and auto-deducted when you visit a Korean designated counseling center. Vouchers must be used within 120 days and do not cover Korean psychiatric doctor visits (which are covered separately by Korean national health insurance).
The Korea Youth Mental Health Voucher is strictly for Koreans aged 19–34, but the Korea Mind Investment (마음투자) program launched in 2024 extends voucher-based counseling to any Korean adult 18+ who receives a professional referral. You can get up to 8 sessions priced at 80k–90k KRW with a 0–30% copayment scaled by Korean income.
No. The Korean voucher is strictly for non-medical psychological counseling (licensed counselors, clinical psychologists). Korean psychiatrist visits and medication are covered by Korean national health insurance, not by this voucher. You can use both Korean systems in parallel if needed.
Yes. Korean care-leavers (자립준비청년), high-risk Korean youth, and self-harm survivors are priority groups and can have the copayment fully waived. Korean local mental-health welfare centers also run income-based reductions — disclose your situation fully at application. In a Korean crisis, call 1393 any time, 24/7, for free.
Only at Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare-designated counseling centers. Search them on Bokjiro (bokjiro.go.kr). Private Korean counseling centers, corporate EAPs, and online coaching services are not covered. Some Korean designated centers offer video/non-face-to-face sessions.
No — book session by session. However, all sessions must be used within 120 days of Korean voucher issuance; unused sessions expire with no refund. It's common to book 1–2 sessions first, then plan the remainder with your Korean counselor.
Yes. Any Korean resident aged 19–34 can apply — active-duty conscripts, social-service personnel, students, and job seekers all qualify. However, Korean military personnel may find in-unit counseling (병영생활전문상담관, Korean Defense Help Call 1303) easier to access for immediate issues.
The Korea Youth Mental Health Voucher is a Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare social-service voucher giving Korean residents aged 19–34 up to 10 professional psychological counseling sessions priced at 80,000 KRW each, with the Korean user paying only about 8,000 KRW per session in copayment (equivalent to roughly 800,000 KRW in total voucher support). Since 2024, Korea has layered on the nationwide Mind Investment (마음투자) program: any Korean adult aged 18+ with a referral from a Korean mental-health welfare center, university counseling center, or psychiatrist can receive 8 sessions valued at 80,000–90,000 KRW, with a Korean copay scaled by income from 0% to 30%. Korean care-leavers, high-risk youth, and those with a history of self-harm are designated priority groups and may have copayments fully waived. Applications are filed through Korea's Bokjiro portal (bokjiro.go.kr) or in person at a Korean mental-health welfare center or community service center, with approval typically taking 1–4 weeks. Once approved, the Korean voucher is loaded onto the Korean Happy Card (국민행복카드) and auto-deducts at designated Korean counseling centers. All sessions must be used within 120 days of issue (unused sessions expire without refund), and the voucher does not apply to Korean psychiatric doctor visits, medication, private Korean clinics, or coaching services. For Korean crises, call 1393 (Korea Suicide Prevention, 24/7 free), 1577-0199, or 129 regardless of voucher status. This benefit is limited to residents of the Republic of Korea and does not apply overseas.