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Minister of Gender Equality and Family Won Min-kyung chairs an expert meeting on sanctions against parents who fail to pay child support and measures to enforce payment at the Government Complex Seoul on the afternoon of Aug. 13. Participants discussed ways to strengthen child support enforcement and improve the system. / Courtesy of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

The income requirement for advance child support payments has been completely abolished, allowing single-parent families to apply regardless of income as long as they meet the requirements for child support claims and unpaid support.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on Oct. 29 that it had completely abolished the income requirement for advance child support payments, which previously limited eligibility to households earning no more than 150% of the standard median income.

Under the advance child support payment system, the government provides child support payments in advance to minor children in single-parent families who are not receiving support, and subsequently recovers the money from the noncustodial parent.

Previously, only households earning 150% or less of the standard median income were eligible to apply. Under the revised system, eligibility has been expanded to allow applications regardless of income, provided that applicants meet requirements concerning child support claims and unpaid support.

According to the ministry, since the system was introduced in July last year, approximately 25.3 billion won has been provided to 8,514 households and 13,442 minor children as of September this year.

To apply, applicants must hold a valid child support claim, have received an average monthly child support payment over the three months or three payments immediately preceding the application that is lower than the advance payment amount, and have either initiated or completed procedures to secure child support payments. Eligible recipients can receive up to 200,000 won per month for each minor child until the child reaches adulthood.

The application process will also be simplified. Family-related documents, including family relation certificates, which applicants previously had to submit, will be replaced by verification through the government's administrative information-sharing system. Requirements for submitting documents and undergoing reviews related to income and assets will also be eased, which is expected to shorten the time needed to receive advance payments.

Along with expanding eligibility for advance child support payments, the ministry will strengthen efforts to recover the funds from noncustodial parents. Of the 7.7 billion won paid in advance from July to December last year, approximately 1.1 billion won had been recovered as of the end of September this year, representing a recovery rate of 14.66% by amount. Of the total 4,949 payment cases, 1,169 had been recovered, representing a recovery rate of 23.62% by number of cases.

The ministry plans to begin sending mobile payment notices through the National Tax Service at the end of this month to noncustodial parents who have not repaid the advance payments. Recovery notices and payment demands are also underway for approximately 11 billion won in advance payments made in 6,851 cases between January and June this year.

Applications for advance child support payments can be submitted through the Child Support Agency's website or by mail. Further information is available through the agency's consultation hotline.

"With the abolition of the income requirement for advance child support payments, more minor children in single-parent families will be able to receive child support," Minister Won Min-kyung said. "We will expand government support for children who are not receiving child support while strengthening efforts to recover advance payments from noncustodial parents to ensure that child support obligations are properly fulfilled."

                                                                                                             Kim Bo-young