As the government prepares to reform its childbirth and childcare support system, a significant issue has arisen regarding a discrepancy of over 10 million won in support payments based on a one-day difference in birth dates. The government is now considering retroactively applying the new system to children born from January to June 2027.
President Lee Jae-myung raised concerns about equity during a Cabinet meeting on September 1 regarding the implementation date for the child support payment and child basic allowance, which is set to begin in July 2027. He stated, "If the cutoff date is set for July 1 next year, what happens to those born the day before? Should they delay their births? Children born in the same year should receive the same treatment," he emphasized. He instructed relevant ministries to explore options for applying the new system to children born after January 1, 2027.
According to the government's proposed childcare support payment reform, starting in July 2027, the existing first meeting voucher and parental benefits will be consolidated into the child support payment. The new payment will provide 10 million won for the first child, 12 million won for the second, and 15 million won for the third and subsequent children. In designated priority regions, these amounts will increase to 15 million, 17 million, and 20 million won, respectively.
The existing child allowance will also be expanded into the child basic allowance, with a base payment of 200,000 won per month, increasing to 300,000 won in priority regions. The age for receiving payments will gradually expand, with support planned for children under 13 starting in 2030.
The issue arose when the initial cutoff date for the new system was set for July 1, 2027. For example, a first child born on June 30, 2027, would receive a total of 35.6 million won under the current system, which includes the first meeting voucher of 2 million won, parental benefits of 18 million won, and child allowance of 15.6 million won until the age of 12.
In contrast, a first child born the following day, July 1, 2027, would be eligible for the new child support payment of 10 million won, along with 31.2 million won in child basic allowance and 7.2 million won in home care bonuses, totaling 48.4 million won. This results in a staggering difference of 12.8 million won based solely on the birth date. The gap could be even larger for second or subsequent children or for families living in priority regions.
This situation has led to concerns among expectant parents about a so-called "birth date cliff." There are fears that parents may feel pressured to time their births to align with the new system's implementation date.
The government's current proposal is to begin the new system as scheduled on July 1, 2027, but to extend eligibility to children born from January to June 2027, allowing for retroactive payments. If the information system is established more quickly than anticipated, there may be a possibility of advancing the implementation date.
Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong stated, "It seems feasible to apply the retroactive method based on birth years," adding that adjustments to the implementation date and budget could be made during discussions in the National Assembly.
It is estimated that retroactive application would require an additional budget of approximately 250 billion won. However, this plan still needs to pass through legislative amendments and National Assembly budget reviews, meaning the retroactive application for children born from January to June 2027 has not yet been finalized.
Even if the eligibility is expanded to include all children born in 2027, the disparity will not be completely eliminated. A gap would still exist between children born on December 31, 2026, and those born on January 1, 2027.
President Lee also mentioned this issue, suggesting that rather than having significant differences in support amounts among children born in the same school year, it may be necessary to consider applying the system based on birth years. The final eligibility and implementation date are expected to be determined during future discussions in the National Assembly.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.