Lee Jae-myung, the candidate for president, pledges to expand the child allowance to those under 18 years old.

On Children's Day, May 5, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, announced his pledge to expand the age for receiving child allowances to those under 18.

On this day, he posted on Facebook, stating, "I will create a country where children are respected and a happy Republic of Korea for our children."

He emphasized, "I will gradually expand the age for receiving child allowances to under 18 to reduce the burden on parents."

Currently, child allowances are provided at 100,000 KRW per month for children under 7 years old, and the plan is to gradually expand this to under 18 years old.

Strengthening Child Protection and Expanding Support for Disadvantaged Groups

Candidate Lee also focused on strengthening the system for preventing child abuse and protecting victimized children.

He stated, "As the digital world develops, the incidence of digital crime is increasing," and emphasized, "I will create a child-friendly digital environment tailored to children's perspectives to secure their rights as much as possible. I will ensure the best protection measures are in place so that our children do not fall victim to digital crimes."

He further promised, "I will improve the system to prevent and promptly detect child abuse, and reinforce the protective system for victimized children. I will actively support the introduction of public guardian systems and the establishment of a revamped public adoption system."

He particularly underscored the importance of identifying the needs of vulnerable children, such as young carers, children of incarcerated parents, and those with borderline intellectual functioning, and finding comprehensive support measures.

Candidate Lee announced plans to expand the 'Gyeonggi-do Infant and Toddler Development Support Service,' which was introduced during his tenure as governor, stating, "I will guarantee every child's right to grow up healthy."

This service supports the early detection of developmentally delayed infants and toddlers, ensuring they receive counseling and treatment.

Finally, Candidate Lee emphasized, "The word 'child' embodies not only love but also respect," and pledged, "I will do my utmost to fulfill our responsibilities as adults for a world where children can dream and where children's laughter continues."

Meanwhile, the current government’s child allowance program was initiated in September 2018 for children under 6 years old, and was expanded to under 7 years old in September 2019.

Image source: The Listening Tour in Every Alley: Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, steps onto the platform to give a speech at the Ilyeongji in Jecheon, Chungbuk Province, on the afternoon of May 4. 2025.5.4 / News1, a portion of a post by Lee Jae-myung on Facebook / facebook 'jaemyunglee'