A Single-parent Family means either a mother-and-child family or father-and-childfamily.
Whatis a Single-parent Family?
A "single-parent family" means a family supported by a single mother or father who raises a child(ren) under 18 years of age (referring to a person under the age of 22 where he/she attends school and a person under the age to which the period of his/her military service is added where he/she attends school after performing his/her military services under 「Military Service Act」) and whose recognized income does not exceed 63% of the standard median income (or 52% of the standard median income, for payment of welfare benefits) (see Subparagraphs 2 and 5 of Article 4 of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」, Article 3 of 「Enforcement Rule of the Single-Parent Family Support Act」, 「2024 Scope of Eligibility for Single-Parent Family Support」, and p.19 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」 by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family).
Amother-and-child family means a family that is supported by a single mother asthe head of the household (If not the head of the household, then this is theperson who is actually supporting the members of the household) (Article 4-3 ofthe Single-parent Family Support Act).
Afather-and-child family means a family that is supported by a single father asthe head of the household (If not the head of the household, then this is theperson who is actually supporting the members of the household) (Article 4-4 ofthe Single-parent Family Support Act).
※ The details ofstandard income prescribed by the Minister of Gender Equality and Family areelaborated in the subsection of this content.
In principle, the beneficiary of a Single-parent Family shall live together in the same residence as the household (the same domicile and household as reported in the resident registration) (p.43 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
Nevertheless,subsidies for Single-parent Family are allowed to the family of a differentdomicile and household between the child and single parent if the child isconsidered as a dependent from the extended perspective of child care.
※ No householdresidence case of living at the other residence of parent, relatives, orfriends away from the family.
A Single-parent Family is designated by the household units under 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」. For this reason, any member of a single-parent family at another residence of the parent, relatives, or friends away from family is considered as a separate household for subsidy treatment (p.52 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
Nevertheless, for example, when a child has lost both parents due to a traffic accident and lives with an aunt (at aunt’s residence), a subsidy is not eligible since the child and aunt do not constitute a single-parent family relationship under 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」. In this particular case, a subsidy under the foster family care system is available (p.217 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
< Case >
Q. A single father has an elementary school student child and works as a substitute driver on night shifts. He has sent the child to his sister’s home since he cannot afford to take care of both his child and work. In this case, can he still be considered a single-parent family under the category of "an extension of the caregiver?"
A. Yes. In principle, support can be provided when the child lives in the same domicile with a single mother or father. Nevertheless, when direct care by the single parent is not possible for any reason such as job situation and the child is inevitably sent to relatives at a different domicile away from the single parent, a subsidy is allowed after confirmation of the willingness and intention of the single parent to care the child, for example, by means of regular or intermittent support of child care expense or personal visit (contact).
(Source: p.221 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」)
Amother or father of Single-parent Family means a parent who takes care of thechild alone because of divorce, death of spouse, or other reason.
Scopeof eligibility for mother or father of Single-parent Family
A mother or father of single-parent family means a person who takes care of a child pertaining to one of the following cases (Subparagraph 1 of Article 4 of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」, pp.44–47 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
Person who lost aspouse by death, divorce, or abandonment
※ Abandonment means, by the precedent ofSupreme Court, “Abandoning theother spouse without any due reason, refusing to observe the duty as a marriedspouse to live with, support, and help the other spouse” (Supreme CourtDecision, April 10, 1998, 96meu1434 Decision).
Person whosespouse cannot work for 6 months or longer due to mental or physical handicap(except in cases where incomes are generated througheconomic activities)
Person whosespouse is missing without any verification of life or death
√ A person in legal proceedings for declaration ofdisappearance of spouse or disappearance of spouse is confirmed by city, countyor district government (classified as non-domicile person, Cancellation of theresident registration by administrative decision, etc.)
A person whoevaded home due to family violence or discord with spouse or family of spouse
A person whocannot afford to support spouse due to military service
A person whocannot afford to support spouse due to being in prison for a long term
A foreigner(registered as a foreigner in compliance with Article 31, Immigration ControlAct) who married (excludes legally unmarried mother or father) a Korean national,stays in Korea, and takes care of a child of Korean nationality and pertainingto one of the above cases
※ About Divorce
Q. My divorce with my current husband has been finalized, but it hasnot been recorded in the family register. Can I receive support with only thecourt judgment of the divorce?
A. Yes, you can. Even if the information is not reflected in theofficial register, the court judgment specifies an outline for single-parentfamily designation including the assignment of parental rights and custodialrights. Therefore, you can gain a single-parent family status.
< Source: p.222 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」>
※ Abandonment by Spouse
Q. My current husband travels around working on local constructionprojects. He would leave home for months once a project begins. However, this time,he has not returned for six months, had his mobile phone deactivated, and hasnot sent any money for living expenses. Can I receive support in this case?
A. Yes, you can. If a husband travels around for work, it is likelythat he did not abandon his spouse intentionally. However, if a husbandintentionally hides, stops calling, and stops sending money because he does notwant to live with his wife, he deliberately violates his obligation to livewith, cooperate with, and support his wife, which constitutes an intentionalabandonment.
< Source: p.218 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」>
※ Single-parent FamilyDesignation on Account of Depression, Etc.
Q. My mother is unemployed and suffers from depression, so I moved tomy grandmother’s house, where I have since been living. Can we get asingle-parent family status?
A. Depression alone is not deemed a sufficient reason for not beingable to nurture one’s children. If a parent is sufficiently willing to nurturehis/her child, the family can receive support as a mother-and-child family or afather-and-child family. However, if it can be objectively determined that aparent is not able to nurture his/her child for psychological issues, etc., thefamily can receive support as a grandparent-grandchild family.
< Source: p.216 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」>
MulticulturalSingle-parent Family
Single-parentFamily support is allowed to foreigners married to Korean nationals andresiding in Korea with the registration of a foreigner who, as the singlefather or mother meeting the specified condition herein above, takes care of achild of Korean nationality (Article 5-2-(3) of the Single-parent FamilySupport Act; Article 10 of the Enforcement Decree of Single-parent FamilySupport Act).
AdolescentSingle-parent Family
A young single-parent family means the family supported by a single father or mother who is aged 24 years old or younger. Other additional subsidies are provided such as education support for the young single parent for self-independence (Subparagraph 1-2 of Article 4 of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」, 「2024 Scope of Eligibility for Single-Parent Family Support」, and p.48 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
Single-parentFamily support for child care will qualify when the child is younger than 18years old (If an enrolled student, younger than age 22).
Scopeof eligibility for child support subsidy
A child under 18 years of age is eligible for subsidy. It refers to a person under the age of 22 where he/she attends high school or college and a person under the age to which the period of his/her military service is added where he/she attends school after performing his/her military services under the Military Service Act (Subparagraph 5 of Article 4 of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」, 「2024 Scope of Eligibility for Single-Parent Family Support」 and p.48 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
AgeCalculation Criteria
The age of an eligible child is calculated based on his/her full age rather, and the eligible ages are as follows (see p.48 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
Below 18: until the month preceding the one where the 18th birthday arrives (or, until the month with the high school graduation date, if the person is 18 or older but still studying in high school)
Below 22: until the month preceding the one where the 22nd birthday arrives
If one of theeligible children passes the eligible age limit, then such child will beexcluded from subsidy programs. The other remaining children of eligible agewill be entitled to child subsidy benefits (Article 5-(2) of the Single-parentFamily Support Act).
To be eligiblefor Single-parent Family support, at least one child within the eligible agerange should be in the family. If a child passes the eligible age limit withoutany other children of the family within the eligible age limit, then thisfamily will no longer be eligible for the Single-parent Family subsidy.
Studenteligibility criteria
Child subsidy is provided to a child (younger than 22 years old) who is enrolled in school or college (see pp. 48-49 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
College,Industrial College, Education College, Junior College, Broadcast College, OpenCollege, Tele-broadcast College, Cyber University, Distant College, TechnicalCollege, Korea Polytechnics College, ICT Polytech Institute of Korea, LifelongEducational Facilities (limited to such educational facilities that meet thelevel of junior college or above) (Article 2 of the Higher Education Act;Article 31 of the Lifelong Education Act)
Regardless of leave of absence and returning to school, the subsidy is provided until the end of the month immediately preceding the 22nd birthday.
A student child who is younger than 22 years old and is inmilitary service, a public service worker, or full-time reserve force iseligible for subsidy benefits.
Students enrolled in high school (Article 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; Article 31 of the Lifelong Education Act)
Students enrolled in a foreign university (notarized translation paper of student registration must be submitted)
In case the childis a student enrolled in high school or college after military service, themilitary service period shall be added and the age eligibility will be extendedto the extended age limit in the calculation of age (Article 4-5 of the Single-parentFamily Support Act).
Regardless of leave of absence or return to school, subsidy is provided until the end of the month immediately preceding the 22nd birthday. The extension of the military service period shall be counted from the date of returning to school after military service, and such extension shall be given until the last day of the year when the student becomes 25 years old (maximum age) (p.50 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
For students who are retaking thecollege entrance examination or school qualification examination, or attendingjob seeking institutes, the eligibility age limit is 18 years (2022Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project, p. 49).
※ Eligibilityquestions for child subsidy
Q. My 17-year-old first child dropped out of high school and has a job. Ismy child eligible for Single-parent Family support?
A. The determination of eligibility is based on the age of the child, and subsidy is provided until the age limit
as an eligible member of single-parent family, even if the child has a job. Nonetheless, the child is not eligible for education expense subsidy, and the income of your child will be traced and added to the family income for income based eligibility evaluation.
< Source: p.227 of 「2024 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」 >