Latest news with #ActonEnforcingandSupportingChildSupportPayment
Korea Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Korea to advance child support, collect from non-paying parents later
Eligible single-parent households to receive 200,000 won monthly per child until adulthood Starting July 1, South Korea will introduce a system in which the government pays child support in advance to custodial parents when non-custodial parents fail to fulfill their financial obligations. The new 'advance payment' scheme, led by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Child Support Agency, aims to ensure stable care environments for children from single-parent households. The initiative is based on recent amendments to the Act on Enforcing and Supporting Child Support Payment, enacted in October 2024 and coming into force this month. Under the new policy, the government will directly provide up to 200,000 won per month per child until the child reaches adulthood, with the condition that the amount does not exceed the court-mandated support. The payments will be recovered from the other parent through compulsory measures if necessary. According to the Ministry, approximately 21.3 percent of divorced or unmarried families in South Korea have a claim to child support, yet 1 in 4 eligible households do not receive any payment. In response to this widespread noncompliance, the government has ramped up enforcement in recent years, including suspending driver's licenses, imposing travel bans, and publicly naming defaulters. The advance payment system will add a new layer of accountability, the ministry said. By stepping in financially and treating unpaid child support as a public debt, the state repositions child-rearing as a shared societal duty rather than a private dispute. 'We will do everything we can to make the application process seamless and accessible so that single-parent families can receive support without unnecessary hardship,' said Jeon Ji-hyun, director of the Child Support Agency. Eligibility for the advance payment is limited to households with a recognized child support claim where the non-custodial parent has failed to make any payment for at least three consecutive months prior to the application. In addition, the household must fall under 150 percent of the national median income level, determined based on national health insurance contributions. If all requirements are met, the custodial parent will begin receiving payments on the 25th of each month. Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family Shin Young-sook emphasized the significance of the program, stating, 'This system ensures a basic level of financial support for children who have been left without the care they are entitled to." Once payments are made, the government will pursue recovery from the delinquent parent. If they fail to respond to payment requests, the state may access financial and property information without the debtor's consent, including bank accounts and income records. The debt will be collected through tax enforcement mechanisms, with collection actions scheduled at least every six months. Notably, the advance payment will be suspended if the non-custodial parent voluntarily pays an amount equal to or greater than the monthly state subsidy. Payments may also stop if the custodial household becomes ineligible or refuses to cooperate with required investigations. Eligible custodial parents can submit applications through the Child Support Agency's website or via mail. Upon approval, monthly payments will begin by the 25th of the following month.
Korea Herald
11-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korea to provide financial aid for children of deadbeat parents
The South Korean government said Tuesday it will introduce legislation to subsidize child care costs for single parents whose former or current spouses refuse to pay their portion of child-rearing expenses. The revision to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Enforcing and Supporting Child Support Payment will provide legal grounds for the government to pay 200,000 won ($137) a month per child to parents in this situation, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. The payments will continue until the child reaches legal adulthood. The new measure will take effect in July of this year. Seizure of assets from parents who refuse to pay Potential beneficiaries can apply to the Korean Child Support Agency, an affiliate of the Family Ministry, which will assess whether they meet the criteria for payment. To qualify, one's household income has to be less than or equal to 150 percent of the national median income, and child support payments must have been in arrears for at least three months prior to application. Officials will also consider support in cases where the estranged parent is making child care payments in only small amounts or irregularly, the ministry said. The government will demand payment from the parent who has failed to meet their child care obligations. The delinquent parent will have 30 days to comply with the order, followed by another 30-day grace period before a final notice is issued. After that, the government will assess the parent's financial situation, including income, assets and real estate, along with information about taxes, pension programs and immigration records. Parents who still fail to pay will then be subject to asset seizure under the National Tax Collection Act. The law prioritizes the collection of these funds over other debts, utility bills and outstanding payments owed by the debtor. Those who accept the benefits will be required to report their financial status related to the program, such as notable changes in household income and the status of the parent who has failed to make payments. Those found to have received the benefits illegally will be ordered to return the funds, and refusing to comply will also lead to forced collection by the state. If returning the funds poses a serious risk to the well-being of a child, the government can reduce or forgive the amount to be returned. The new revision will also impose bans on driving and overseas travel, publish the personal information of delinquent parents, and enforce other administrative penalties on those who fail to pay child support within 30 days of a government order. The existing system also imposes these punishments, but only on those who have failed to make child support payments more than three times or if the amount due is 30 million won or more. The new measure is in response to the substantial number of parents who have refused to pay child support after being estranged from their child. As of last month, 1,279 individuals have been banned from leaving the country for this reason since the second half of 2021. minsikyoon@
Korea Herald
11-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korea to provide financial aid for children of deadbeat parents
The South Korean government said Tuesday it will introduce legislation to subsidize child care costs for single parents whose former or current spouses refuse to pay their portion of child-rearing expenses. The revision to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Enforcing and Supporting Child Support Payment will provide legal grounds for the government to pay 200,000 won ($137) a month per child to parents in this situation, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. The payments will continue until the child reaches legal adulthood. The new measure will take effect in July of this year. Seizure of assets from parents who refuse to pay Potential beneficiaries can apply to the Korean Child Support Agency, an affiliate of the Family Ministry, which will assess whether they meet the criteria for payment. To qualify, one's household income has to be less than or equal to 150 percent of the national median income, and child support payments must have been in arrears for at least three months prior to application. Officials will also consider support in cases where the estranged parent is making child care payments in only small amounts or irregularly, the ministry said. The government will demand payment from the parent who has failed to meet their child care obligations. The delinquent parent will have 30 days to comply with the order, followed by another 30-day grace period before a final notice is issued. After that, the government will assess the parent's financial situation, including income, assets and real estate, along with information about taxes, pension programs and immigration records. Parents who still fail to pay will then be subject to asset seizure under the National Tax Collection Act. The law prioritizes the collection of these funds over other debts, utility bills and outstanding payments owed by the debtor. Those who accept the benefits will be required to report their financial status related to the program, such as notable changes in household income and the status of the parent who has failed to make payments. Those found to have received the benefits illegally will be ordered to return the funds, and refusing to comply will also lead to forced collection by the state. If returning the funds poses a serious risk to the well-being of a child, the government can reduce or forgive the amount to be returned. The new revision will also impose bans on driving and overseas travel, publish the personal information of delinquent parents, and enforce other administrative penalties on those who fail to pay child support within 30 days of a government order. The existing system also imposes these punishments, but only on those who have failed to make child support payments more than three times or if the amount due is 30 million won or more. The new measure is in response to the substantial number of parents who have refused to pay child support after being estranged from their child. As of last month, 1,279 individuals have been banned from leaving the country for this reason since the second half of 2021.
