Government to increase payments to families with infants from January

Social Affairs

Published: 13 Dec. 2022, 19:24

Government to increase payments to families with infants from January

People shop for clothing for children at a discount mart in Seoul on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Parents of infants in Korea will receive more money from the government starting next year.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare released its plan regarding childcare for the next five years on Tuesday.

A household with a child under the age of one will receive 700,000 won ($535) per month and 350,000 won for a child aged between 12 and 23 months. The government will start paying parents in January next year. These amounts are set to increase to 1 million won and 500,000 won, respectively, by 2024.

Currently, households with children under the age of 23 months receive 300,000 won a month.

“As the dropping birth rate lingers in the country, it is important that every child is nurtured with care,” said Lee Ki-il, the first vice minister of the health ministry.

“The ministry will help improve the quality of parenting support and services with the new plan.”

Korea’s fertility rate hit a record-low last year at 0.81 children per woman.

BY BAE JAE-SUNG, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]