1 million won for marriage, 10 million won for the first child... up to 190 million won per youth

Priority disclosure of youth budget... 43.3 trillion won next year, a 54% increase
Expansion of employment subsidies for local SMEs
Lowering the barrier to entry for Future Savings accounts
"Effect of approximately 1 million won per month"
Increasing private and public jobs by 50,000
Expecting a total employment effect of 90,000 youth
The government will significantly expand support amounts for each stage of youth growth. The plan is to increase the budget from 28.2 trillion won this year to 43.3 trillion won next year, a 53.5% increase, providing benefits of up to approximately 195.82 million won per person from age 0 to 34.
This assumes a scenario where a child is born in a preferential local area and parental income is at 100% of the median income. This amount combines all financial support, including childcare subsidies, Youth Future Savings, and job training allowances.
In particular, the core of this measure is to provide benefits worth up to 1 million won per month for two years to youth employed at local SMEs to reduce the decline in youth employment by half, and to help life-cycle asset formation by linking the 'Our Child Independence Fund' with 'Youth Future Savings.' President Lee Jae-myung presided over the 'Youth Budget Unboxing' at the Blue House Main Building on the 28th, emphasizing, "The youth generation used to be a class full of hope, but now they have become the most vulnerable generation," adding, "Historically speaking, I wonder if this is the first time such an era has occurred."
◆ Resolving the mismatch between local SMEs and youth
First, the focus is on directly bridging the wage gap with large corporations, which is the main reason youth are reluctant to work at local SMEs. The Youth Job Leap Incentive, paid to youth employed at SMEs in non-metropolitan areas, will be increased from the current maximum of 7.2 million won over two years to a maximum of 18 million won next year. Youth employed at SMEs and mid-sized enterprises in the metropolitan area, who were previously excluded from support, will also receive up to 4.8 million won over two years.
The barrier to entry for the Youth Future Savings will be significantly lowered by abolishing the income requirements for the general type. For the preferential type targeting employees of SMEs and small business owners, the government contribution rate will be increased from 12% to 15% of the deposit amount, and a separate track will be created for employees of local SMEs with a 25% match. For example, if a youth at a local SME deposits 500,000 won every month for three years (totaling 18 million won), the government will provide a contribution of 4.5 million won (25%). With 2.57 million won in interest added, they will receive a maximum of 25.07 million won.
According to the government's calculation, when combining the Leap Incentive, Youth Future Savings, and the Youth Culture and Arts Pass, the benefits enjoyed by youth employed at local SMEs will be approximately 1 million won per month. Kang Ki-ryong, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said in a preliminary briefing on the 27th, "The gap between the wage youth want and the actual wage when employed at a local SME is about 1 million won," and "We will invest our policy capabilities into bridging this gap."
The number of jobs themselves will also increase. Participants in the K-New Deal Academy, where large corporations design training courses and current employees teach practical skills, will expand from 10,000 this year to 50,000 next year. A 'First Career Project' will also be created to provide field experience to 60,000 university students.
The government plans to increase the scale of professional manpower training by about 80,000 people next year compared to this year. Considering that the employment rate of training program participants averages around 52%, an employment effect of approximately 40,000 people is expected. Additionally, by increasing private and public jobs by 50,000 compared to this year, the government calculates it will achieve an employment effect of at least 90,000 or more.
◆ Asset formation starting from birth
Support for youth asset formation begins right from birth. A new 'Our Child Independence Fund' will be established to provide 1.2 million won per year to children from households with less than 50% of the median income, regardless of whether parents make deposits. For households up to 150% of the median income, the government will provide 1 million won per year through differential matching of parental deposits. The goal is for them to have a seed money of 60 million to 100 million won by age 18, including long-term investment returns.
The education and housing sectors will also be reinforced. Full scholarships will be newly established for local national universities, excluding medicine and pharmacy departments, and the Regional Talent Scholarship will be expanded from 4,000 to 10,000 people.
Marriage, childbirth, and adoption tax credits will be converted into fiscal support, establishing a 1 million won 'Marriage Support Fund' for couples and a 'Child Welcoming Fund' ranging from 10 million to 20 million won upon childbirth. Additionally, a 'Basic Child Allowance' will be introduced, providing up to 600,000 won per month for ages 0–1 and up to 300,000 won per month for ages 2–12.
◆ 15 million won for the third child or more
The Child Welcoming Fund will pay 10 million won for the first child, 12 million won for the second, and 15 million won for the third child or more. Children residing in preferential areas, categorized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's local preference index, will receive an additional 5 million won. The support fund will be paid in four quarterly installments over the year following birth.
Furthermore, while the existing First Encounter Voucher was provided as a voucher, the Child Welcoming Fund will be provided in cash to allow for free use.
In the case of the Basic Child Allowance, it will be paid in a combination of cash and local love gift certificates. For children aged 0–1 who are cared for at home, an additional 300,000 won will be paid every month. With this childcare support reorganization, a first child being cared for at home in a preferential area will receive 30.28 million won more compared to the current system. The reorganization will apply to children born after July 1 next year.