“600,000 won regardless of income” ... ‘This Region’ to Give Benefits to Anyone Aged 12–18

[Financial News] Yangyang County in Gangwon Province is moving to introduce a “Youth Basic Support Allowance” that would provide local young people with up to 600,000 won a year in local currency, regardless of their income level or whether they are enrolled in school.
According to Yonhap News and other outlets on the 19th, Yangyang County said it is preparing the “Youth Basic Support Allowance” program, a pledge of its ninth popularly elected administration, with payments targeted for 2027. The program aims to expand opportunities for young people to grow and ease the financial burden on families raising them.
The planned recipients are young people aged 12 to 18 who are registered residents of Yangyang County as of the eligibility date. The county plans to make the allowance available to anyone who meets the age and residency requirements, regardless of income or school enrollment.
The county plans to pay 150,000 won per person every quarter, four times a year, for an annual maximum of 600,000 won in Yangyang County local currency.
An estimated 900 people will receive the allowance, with an annual budget of approximately 540 million won.
The county plans to have the allowance used for a range of activities that support young people’s growth and self-development, including buying books, exploring career paths, cultural activities and sports. It aims to narrow disparities in cultural and educational activities arising from differences in household financial circumstances.
The county also expects that paying the allowance in local currency will help boost sales for small businesses if spending by young people and the families raising them goes to local participating merchants.
The county plans to take the steps needed to launch the program, including drawing up detailed implementation plans and enacting a relevant ordinance, with payments targeted for sometime in 2027.
County Governor Kim Jeong-jung said, “We will support young people so they can gain a variety of experiences and prepare for their futures, regardless of their families’ financial circumstances,” adding, “We will steadily prepare to implement the program so that we can help young people grow and ease the burden on the families raising them.”
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter