-
01Introduction to the Republic of Korea
-
02Multicultural Families and Foreigner Support Services
-
03Residence and Naturalization
-
04Korean Culture and Life
-
05Pregnancy and Childbirth
-
06Education of Children
-
07Health and Healthcare
-
08Social Security System
-
09Employment and Labor
-
10References
-
Chapter Introduction Video
-
FAQ
-
Status of family centers
-
Current Status of Danuri Helpline
-
Migrant Background Youth Support Foundation
-
Current Status of Saeil Center (New Job Center for Women)
-
Immigration Offices
-
Major Tourist Destinations by Region
-
Contact Numbers for Key Foreign Embassies and Consulates in Korea
-
Guide to Personal Information Protection
-
Danuri Call Center : 1577-1366
가족상담전화 : 1644-6621
21F, 173, Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (Chungmuro 3-ga, Namsan Square Building)
Copyright ⓒ KOREA INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHY FAMILY. All Rights Reserved
Dim
National Basic Living Security
- Home
- Social Security System
- National Basic Living Security
National Basic Living Security
The government provides low-income citizens with basic livelihood grants, housing subsidies(Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport), education subsidies(Ministry of Education) and medical aid to guarantee basic livelihood. The system offers systematic self-support through the service to those who can work. Even foreign residents can receive benefits based on the related ordinances.
01Qualifications
Any foreigner who meets the following conditions as well as all the requirements in terms of the ① reported income and the ② dependent obligor is eligible to receive the basic livelihood subsidy.
- Foreigners who have been registered and have lived in Korea, been married to Korean citizens and are expecting or raising a Korean child who is a minor (including cases of divorce and the death of a spouse)
- Foreigners who live with the parents or grandparents of spouses who are Korean citizens Foreigners who do not meet the above qualifications may not apply for basic livelihood security aid. If there is a Korean citizen in the family of foreigners, the Korean citizen may be the beneficiary of basic livelihood security aid, provided that he or she meets the standards for the amount of income acknowledged.
- Foreign nationals who are recognized as a refugee by the Minister of Justice according to Article 2.2 the Refugee Act and residing in Korea
- Foreign nationals who reside in Korea and are recognized as having made a special contribution to Afghans by the Minister of Justice according to Article 14.2 the Act on the Treatment of Foreign Nationals in Korea.
- 1 The reported household income (the amount calculated by adding the amount of household income to the amount of income translated property) is below the standard (certain percentage of the standard median income*) for beneficiaries
- (2024) livelihood pay 32%, medical pay 40%, housing pay 48%, education pay 50%
- 2 Those who do not have an obligator of support (direct family member, and spouse), those who have an obligator of support who is not able to support, or those who cannot receive support
- The threshold for the breadwinner is not applied to housing and educational benefits. Basic livelihood benefit is not offered if the breadwinner earns an annual income of KRW 100 million or overall asset exceeding KRW 900 million.
Reference
2024 median income
Amount (KRW/ Month)
| Item | 1-person household | 2-person household | 3-person household | 4-person household | 5-person household | 6-person household | 7-person household |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount (KRW/ Month) | 2,228,445 | 3,682,609 | 4,714,657 | 5,729,913 | 6,695,735 | 7,618,369 | 8,514,994 |
- Median income for a family of 8 persons or more increases by KRW 896,625 for every additional person
2024 Selection Standard for Assistance by the size of household and the type of support.
(unit: KRW/month)
| Size of household | 1-person household | 2-person household | 3-person household | 4-person household | 5-person household | 6-person household | 7-person household |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selection standard for livelihood support (Median income threshold of 32% or lower) | 713,102 | 1,178,435 | 1,508,690 | 1,833,572 | 2,142,635 | 2,437,878 | 2,724,798 |
| Selection standard for medical support (Median income threshold of 40% or lower) | 891,378 | 1,473,044 | 1,885,863 | 2,291,965 | 2,678,294 | 3,047,348 | 3,405,998 |
| Selection standard for housing support (Median income threshold of 48% or lower) | 1,069,654 | 1,767,652 | 2,263,035 | 2,750,358 | 3,213,953 | 3,656,817 | 4,087,197 |
| Selection standard for education support (Median income threshold of 50% or lower) | 1,114,223 | 1,841,305 | 2,357,329 | 2,864,957 | 3,347,868 | 3,809,185 | 4,257,497 |
02Types of Benefits
(1)Livelihood Benefits
- Description : A form of monetary payment for daily commodities such as food, clothing, and fuel
- Amount : Amount of the reported household income deducted from the minimum level of livelihood wage (32% of the median income)
- Livelihood wage amount = the minimum level of livelihood wage (standard of selecting a target) – income acknowledged amount
(2)Housing Aid
- Description : Considering residence, resident type, size of family, etc., provide rent and repair & maintenance costs to support stable housing
- Amount of cash benefits : Remunerated payments will be made for renting households based on the local average rent, number of household members, and recognized income. For households with their own homes, remunerated support for repair and maintenance cost will be given by classifying the repair need into minimal, moderate, or large-scale based on the recipient’s income.
Reference
Minimum level standards of renting households (as of 2024)
(Unit: KRW 10,000)
| Item | 1st grade area (Seoul) | 2nd grade area (Gyeonggi, Incheon) | 3rd grade area (Special cities other than metropolitan area, Sejong, metropolitan area) | 4th grade area (other regions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-person household | 34.1 | 26.8 | 21.6 | 17.8 |
| 2-person household | 38.2 | 30.0 | 24.0 | 20.1 |
| 3-person household | 45.5 | 35.8 | 28.7 | 23.9 |
| 4-person household | 52.7 | 41.4 | 33.3 | 27.8 |
| 5-person household | 54.5 | 42.8 | 34.4 | 28.7 |
| 6-person household | 64.6 | 50.7 | 40.6 | 34.0 |
- The monthly rent for a household with 7 members is the same as the standard rent for a household with 6 members. For a household with 8 or 9 members, a 10% increase from the standard rent for a household with 6 members will be applied. (The same rule applies to households with more than 10 members: every two members result in 10% increase in monthly rent from that of a household belonging to the previous category)
The minimum threshold of households owning their own home: Affairs under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport
| Item | Minor repair | Median repair | Major repair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repair costs (cycle) | KRW 4.57 million (3 years) | KRW 8.49 million (5 years) | KRW 12.41 million (7 years) |
- If the reported income is below the standard for livelihood wage, 100% of the repair cost is supported. If the reported income is below 35% of the standard median income, 90% of the repair cost is supported. If the reported income is over 35% but less than 45% of the standard median income, 60% of the repair cost is supported.
(3)Education support: Affairs under the Ministry of Education
- Description :
- Admission fees, tuition, textbook costs, materials costs, and stationery costs
| 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Aid items | Aid amount & Usage | ||
| Educational activity aid | Elementary school students | KRW 461,000 | Autonomous spending according to educational demand by student |
| Middle school students | KRW 654,000 | ||
| High school students | KRW 727,000 | ||
| Textbook costs | High school students | All textbook costs organized by regular educational course of a school year | |
| Admission fees & Tuition | High school students | Total amount notified by principals by year and region | |
(4)Childbirth Aid
- Upon birth of a recipient (including expected childbirth) KRW 700,000 (1,400,000 for twins) is paid in cash
(5)Funeral Aid
- Assistance of 800,000 KRW per each deceased beneficiary.
03How to Apply
- To apply for national basic living security benefits, visit your local eup, myeon or dong resident center and submit the application for (change of) social welfare services and benefits.
- A government official will perform an evaluation to determine your eligibility.
- You will be informed of your eligibility within 30 days; some cases may take as long as 60 days to process.
- Submit application
form to eup/myeon/
dong office - Government official
examines applicant’s
income and property records - Application denied or rejected
Useful Information
Health & Welfare Counseling Center 129 (www.129.go.kr)
- If you need counseling or information regarding health or welfare services for you and your family, please call 129 (area code + 129 when calling from a mobile phone)
- Counseling for income security, financial support for living expenses, and social welfare, health and wellbeing: 09:00-18:00 weekdays
- Counseling for emergency support: Open 24 hours a day, all year round
This work can be used according to the “KOGL (Korea Open Government License) Type 4: Source Indication+Prohibition of Commercial Use+Prohibition of Change” condition.
Dim
Dim
딤영역
딤영역
