Supporting Single Parents in South Korea

The government in South Korea does not provide postpartum assistance or medical insurance for many single parents, as they are not officially recognized as families.

In South Korea, the law mandates that both blood parents be registered as legal guardians for a child, which presents obvious challenges for those who are single parents for any number of reasons. In some cases, the root issue is that one blood parent refuses testing to validate being a parent to the child in question because of legal and financial implications.

In 2019, a new policy was put into effect that allows for $110 USD of childcare support per month for a low income single parent family where children are under 14 years of age, but postpartum services and medical insurance are not included.

The fellow in the video above, Ji Hwan Kim, was able to get his daughter and himself to a better place through the kindness of strangers who gave him temporary financial assistance and encouraged him to continue living for his daughter. Ji-Hwan was eventually able to find a job, and once he was more settled, he established "A Father's Heart," whose mission is to provide medical aid, legal assistance, and counselling for single parents in South Korea.

To support "A Father's Heart," please visit the following fundraising page:

A Father's Heart Fundraising Page