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01Introduction to the Republic of Korea
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02Multicultural Families and Foreigner Support Services
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03Residence and Naturalization
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04Korean Culture and Life
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05Pregnancy and Childbirth
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06Education of Children
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07Health and Healthcare
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08Social Security System
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09Employment and Labor
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10References
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Chapter Introduction Video
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FAQ
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Status of family centers
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Current Status of Danuri Helpline
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Migrant Background Youth Support Foundation
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Current Status of Saeil Center (New Job Center for Women)
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Immigration Offices
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Major Tourist Destinations by Region
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Contact Numbers for Key Foreign Embassies and Consulates in Korea
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Guide to Personal Information Protection
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Danuri Call Center : 1577-1366
가족상담전화 : 1644-6621
21F, 173, Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (Chungmuro 3-ga, Namsan Square Building)
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Infant Care and Early Childhood Education
- Home
- Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Infant Care and Early Childhood Education
Infant Care and Early Childhood Education
01Infant Care and Early Childhood Education
Before enrolling in elementary school, children may receive care or education from a nursery school or kindergarten.
(1)Nursery school
- A nursery school is a facility that provides care and education for children ages 0-5 and which has been designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare pursuant to Article 10 (Type of Nursery) of the Infant Care Act.
- Childcare service hours are based on weekdays from 07:30AM to 7:30PM. Depending on the institution, extended evening childcare and 24-hour childcare support are also provided.
- A nursery school provides educational contents that promote a young child's health, safety, and moral consciousness, including contents that promote physical, social, linguistic, cognitive, and emotional development.
- Monthly care cost differs by care time, age of children, and type of nursery facility. Government aid for 0-2 year-olds (including children of multicultural families) attending nursery school is KRW 364,000~499,000 depending on the age of the child. Government aid for 3-5 year-olds (including children of multicultural families) attending school is KRW 280,000 per month under the common Nuri course and KRW 532,000 for disabled preschool children aged 12 and below.
(2)Kindergarten
- A kindergarten is a school for young children aged 3 to 5 years.
- The standard education time is 09:00-17:00. Some education facilities may provide extended hours of 07:00-22:00 for households in which both parents are working full time.
- A kindergarten focuses on laying a foundation of civil consciousness by promoting each child’s physical and emotional development. Education is provided based on a curriculum consisting of 5 main subjects: exercise/health, communication, social relationships, artistic experience, and nature research.
The curriculum mainly consists of integrated education that focuses on experience and activity (theme) to aid in holistic human development. - For the education cost of young children aged 3-5 years, the government provides a subsidy of KRW 100,000 per month for national/public kindergarten and KRW 280,000 per month for private kindergarten.
Kindergartens designated as multicultural education policy schools (kindergartens) support customized education for multicultural children including language, basic learning, etc. through Nuri curriculum and operate programs for understanding multicultural families for all children and parents. There are 131 kindergartens nationwide that are designated as multicultural kindergartens (as of 2018). You can check for the local multicultural education policy school (kindergarten) through the Education Offices of si (city) and do (province) or on the National Center for Multicultural Education website (www.edu4mc.or.kr).
02Support for childcare fees, infant school fees, parental benefits, and home childrearing stipends
Before entering elementary school, infants and toddlers (aged up to 5) can attend daycare centers (aged up to 5) or kindergartens (aged 3 to 5), and the government provides free childcare or preschool tuition corresponding to each age.
For children who do not attend daycare centers or kindergartens, parental benefits (cash) and home childcare allowances are provided to reduce the burden of childcare costs.
(1)Childcare Benefits
A nursery school is an institution that provides childcare for young children ages 0-5. When a child is enrolled in a nursery school, the government subsidizes the cost.
Qualifications
Young children (ages 0-5) who go to a nursery school and fall into the following categories receive the childcare benefits :
- Regardless of the income level of the children’s family, government aid for 0-2 year-olds (including children of multicultural families) attending nursery school is KRW 364,000~499,000 depending on the age of the child. Government aid for 3-5 year-olds (including children of multicultural families) attending school is KRW 280,000 per month under the common Nuri course and KRW 532,000 for disabled preschool children aged 12 and below.
| Age | Subsidy | Subsidy for Children with Disabilities | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare for age 0 | 499,000 | 532,000 | - |
| Childcare for age 1 | 439,000 | ||
| Childcare for age 2 | 364,000 | ||
| Childcare for age 3~5 | 280,000 |
- According to the reorganization of childcare support in March 2020, the costs are fully covered for basic childcare (07:30~16:00). Additional support is available for children in need of extended childcare.
- Disabled children under the age of 5 who have a handicapped welfare card (certificate of registration) are provided with childcare benefits regardless of their household’s income. Likewise, exceptions apply for children ages 3-5 who are diagnosed/evaluated as requiring special education as per Article 15 of the Special Education Laws for Persons with Disabilities and Others. In addition, the degree of disability may not be indicated on the submitted doctor’s diagnosis, but the doctor’s opinion about the disability must be acceptable in accordance with 「the types and criteria of the disabled」 in the enforcement decree of the Welfare Law for Persons with Disabilities (Appendix 1) or pursuant to 「the selection standard for children with special educational needs」 as specified in the enforcement decree of the Act on Special Education for Persons with Disabilities and Others (Appendix).
Application procedure
The guardian (parents or other guardians) can apply by visiting the respective eup, myeon, or dong community service centers in their area of residence or via online on the welfare website Bokjiro (www.bokjiro.go.kr). Note, however, that unregistered disabled children who wish to receive benefits must apply in person (online application unavailable).
centers of each eup,
myeon, and dong
and child is eligible for
use of childcare
Documents for submission
Social security benefits (social services) application (alteration) form, a letter of explanation on reasons for the application of extended foster care and proving documents for each reason for extended foster care, an I-Haengbok Card application, and personal credit information access.
Eligible persons are given a Citizen Happiness Card, which can be used to pay for childcare expenses (government subsidies are deposited directly into the card account).
(2)Child education expense benefits
Scope of subsidy
| Age | Division | Scope of support |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years old in full | Tuition for infants | Assistance for children ages 3-5 who go to National-Public-Private Kindergartens regardless of their parents' income levels |
| Tuition for after school courses | Assistance for children ages 3-5 who join after school courses which are operated in connection with official kindergarten education (facilities operating courses including the basic course for more than 8 hours per day; 7 hours if parents are agreed) |
- Tuition support is not provided to the infants without the nationality of the Republic of Korea (Refugees are exceptional).
Support amount
| Items | Age | Amount of subsidiary (monthly) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| National and public kindergartens | Private kindergartens | ||
| Tuition | Age 5 | 60,000 | 240,000 |
| Age 4 | |||
| Age 3 | |||
| Tuition for afterschool courses | Between 3 and 5 | 50,000 | 70,000 |
Application procedure and method
- (Application) The child’s guardian can apply at the respective eup, myeon, or dong community service centers in their area of residence or via online application (www.bokjiro.go.kr).
- (Decision of benefit) Verification of the beneficiary's date of birth
- (Support) The recipient household must remit the balance to the kindergarten after subtracting the childcare benefit amount from the tuition.
- Recipient verification and confirmation/application of benefit amount through electronic card (I-Haengbok Card)
(3)Parental benefit support
Parental benefits are paid to compensate for income lost as a result of childbirth and childcare, and to provide thorough support for early childhood care catering to the characteristics of child development where direct care by the primary caregiver is important.
- Support eligibility :
- Children aged up to 1
- Support details :
- KRW 1 million per month for less than 1-year-olds, KRW 500,000 per month for 1-year-olds
- Payment method :
- Cash when childrearing from home, or a voucher when using a daycare center or full-time child care.
- If the voucher support amount is less than the parental benefit support amount, the difference is compensated in cash.
- Application :
- Parents/guardians can apply by visiting the infant/toddler's administrative welfare center (community center) or apply online (www.bokjiro.go.kr or through the mobile app “Bokjiro”)
(4)Homecare Allowance
- Eligibility for support :
- Children aged 24 to 86 months before entering elementary school who do not attend daycare centers, kindergartens, or full-day child care services (parental benefits are supported for children aged up to 23 months)
- In the case of infants without Korean nationality, homecare allowance support is not provided (exception applies to refugees)
Support amount
- Childcare allowance: 24~85 months (KRW 100,000 per month)
- Rural childcare allowance: 24-35 months (KRW 156,000 per month), 36-47 months (KRW 129,000 per month), 48-85 months (KRW 100,000 per month)
- Allowance for farming and fishing areas (by age of child): Below 12 months (KRW 200,000 per month), 12-23 months (KRW 177,000 per month), 24-35 months (KRW 156,000 per month), 36-47months (KRW 129,000 per month), 48-86 months (KRW 100,000 per month)
| Age | Childcare allowance | Age | Rural childcare allowance | Age | Rearing allowance for children with disabilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24~85 months | 100,000 | 24~35 months | 156,000 | 24~35 months | 200,000 |
| 36~47 months | 129,000 | 36~85 months | 100,000 | ||
| 48~85 months | 100,000 |
- Supported until February of the year the child enters elementary school
- Allowance payment date :
- Payment is made on the 25th of the month (payment is made on the business day immediately prior if the date falls on a weekend or a holiday)
Method of payment
- Cash allowance (direct deposit to the bank account of the child or parent)
- Limited to parents that reside in the child’s household
- The allowance is deposited after verification of the receiver's account qualifications by the mayor, head of gun, or head of gu
Payment of allowance for change of address
- Move-in date is on or before the 15th of the month: payment provided by the mayor, head of gun, or head of gu of the new address
- Move-in date is on or after the 16th of the month: payment provided by the mayor, head of gun, or head of gu of the old address
Once a child is approved as qualifying for childcare allowance, the allowance is paid from the month of application until February of the year the child enters elementary school; all monthly allowances are paid without additional calculation.
- Calculation of supporting period: the child's birth year + until the February of the child’s 7th year
Approval qualifications
- Supported to all classes regardless of income (However, if the child is registered as disable, and a resident of farming and fishing district then the child qualifies to receive the corresponding child allotment.)
| Category | Homecare allowance | Allowance for farming and fishing areas | Allowance for disabled children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional Approval Requirements Required Documents | Copy of the bankbook of a parent or the child | Children from farming and fishing households (Verification of agricultural management body registration, etc.) | Registered disabled children Certificate of registration of disabled person |
Application
- The child’s guardian can apply at the respective eup, myeon, or dong (township) community service center in their area of residence or via online application (www.bokjiro.go.kr or mobile app Bokjiro).
(5)Childcare Support Program
The government provides a childcare program in which a childcare giver visits to take care of children aged 12 or under for double-income families that do not have sufficient time for child-rearing. The program aims to reduce parents’ child-rearing burden and to close the gaps in facility childcare coverage.
Eligibility
- Children aged 3 months to 12 years with Korean nationality
Commissioned organizations
- 228 organizations that provide I-Dolbom services across the nation
Main Services
- Part-time and comprehensive care services: commuting to school and childcare centers, preparation for supplies, temporary childcare until the parents are back, play activities, and giving prepared meals and snacks, etc. for children between three months and 12 years old
- Comprehensive care service includes household chores.
- All-day service for infants: provides all-day care service for infants between 3 months and 36 months
- Special support service for children infected with diseases: Special support for hospital transport and care services for children aged 3 months to 12 years old to safeguard them at home due to infectious or epidemic diseases.
How to Apply for the Service-Process
Person applying for the service (Issuance of National Happiness Card in the applicant’s name)
- Those who are not qualified for government support
- Sign up as a member
After signing up on the homepage (idolbom.go.kr)
request approval of full membership - Approval of full membership
(agency providing competent service)
- Those who are qualified for government support
- Visit local community service center
Apply for government support by visiting eup, myeon, or dong community service center with jurisdiction for registered residence of the child When both parents are insured by the employer or one parent is registered under the Single-Parent Family Support Act and insured by the employer, one can apply for government support via the website(www.bokjiro.go.kr).
- Decision notice (via mail and text message)
- Sign up as a member
After signing up on the homepage (idolbom.go.kr)
request approval of full membership
- Service application
Apply for service on the desired date and time from the website
- Payment
When using National Happiness Card, pay the deductible to the card company
*Virtual account users need to make payments to their assigned virtual accounts in advance by one day before using the service - Service use
- For more information, inquire at a nearby local childcare service center, or search the website, idolbom.go.kr For more help, call ☎1577-1366 (Danuri Helpline)
