Starting in July, the government will provide 200,000 won per minor child to parents who are unable to receive child support from their ex-spouse. The government will later recover this expense from the debtors who did not pay child support.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family noted on the morning of the 28th that the amendment to the 'Enforcement Decree on Ensuring and Supporting Child Support' containing this information was approved at the Cabinet meeting.
The enforcement decree approved that day contains detailed criteria necessary for the implementation of the child support advance payment system. The child support advance payment system is a mechanism where the state provides child support first upon the application of the child support creditor and later recovers it from the debtor. This aims to address issues arising when one parent is raising a child without receiving child support from the other parent due to divorce, etc.
Eligible applicants are households with minor children whose income is below 150% of the median income and who have not received child support for three consecutive months or three times or more.
The government will provide 200,000 won per child until they reach adulthood. Payments will be suspended if the child support debtor (non-custodial parent) receives child support exceeding the advance payment during the payment period.
Additionally, the government will issue a notice to debtors who do not pay child support, and if they do not provide funds for more than 30 days after delivery of the notice, they will proceed with collection. If they do not pay under these procedures, collection will be forcibly enacted following an income and asset investigation.
Vice Minister Shin Young-sook said, "We will strive to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries of the child support advance payment system receive support without exception."