Government Support Foreigners Can Get in Korea

Most Korean welfare benefits are written for Korean nationals. Foreigners can get them mainly in three situations: you are married to a Korean or raising a Korean child, you are a recognized refugee, or the benefit comes from social insurance you pay into. Everyone else relies mostly on insurance, labor protections and local programs.

Key facts

Who can get what

Basic livelihood security (국민기초생활보장)

Korea’s main safety net (living, housing, medical and education benefits) is open to a foreigner only if they are registered as a resident and:

• are married to a Korean national and are pregnant (or the Korean spouse is), or are raising a minor Korean child, or live with the Korean spouse’s parents; or
• divorced from or widowed by a Korean spouse and are raising a minor Korean child or pregnant with the late spouse’s child.

Recognized refugees can apply under the Refugee Act. Income and asset tests apply in all cases. Apply at your community center.

Emergency welfare support (긴급복지지원)

Short-term help with living costs, medical bills or housing during a sudden crisis (job loss, serious illness, abuse, eviction). The decree lists which foreigners can get it:

1. people married to a Korean national;
2. people divorced or widowed from a Korean spouse who care for a lineal relative of Korean nationality;
3. recognized refugees;
4. people harmed by fire, crime or natural disaster through no fault of their own;
5. anyone else the Minister of Health and Welfare decides needs urgent help.

Point 4 is the one most other foreigners can use. Call 129 or go to the community center as soon as the crisis happens.

One-off relief payments

Special payments (disaster relief, consumption coupons) set their own rules each time. For the 2025 consumption coupons (민생회복 소비쿠폰), foreigners qualified only if they:

• were on the same resident register as at least one Korean and had health insurance or medical aid, or
• held F-5 (permanent residence), F-6 (marriage) or F-2-4 (refugee) status with health insurance or medical aid.

Other foreigners were excluded. Expect similar rules for future payments, but always read the new notice.

What every foreign resident can use

• National Health Insurance. Required for most residents after six months. See health insurance.
• Pregnancy and birth medical voucher. Insured mothers get ₩1 million per pregnancy (₩1.4 million for twins or more) on a National Happiness Card.
• Industrial accident insurance and unpaid wage protection. Cover all workers, including those without legal status. See unpaid wages.
• Children’s vaccinations at public health centers (보건소), and free public school.
• Medical support for the uninsured. Hospital and surgery costs for uninsured migrants at designated hospitals. See medical support for uninsured migrants.
• Local programs. Many cities pay part of daycare fees for foreign children, offer emergency funds for foreign residents, free Korean classes and counseling. Ask your city’s foreign resident center.
• Free help and advice. Seoul Global Center, family centers, foreign worker support centers and legal aid. See foreign resident support centers.

What foreigners usually cannot get

• Basic pension (기초연금) and most disability and elderly cash benefits.
• Youth programs such as youth rent support and youth savings accounts, which generally require Korean nationality.
• National child benefits and childcare support for foreign-national children.
• Public rental housing in most cases. Some programs accept marriage migrants raising Korean children; ask LH or your district office.

How to apply

1. Find the office. Most welfare is handled by the community center (행정복지센터) for your registered address.
2. Bring your residence card, passport, lease, bank book, and family documents (marriage certificate, child’s family relation certificate).
3. Interpretation. Call Danuri (1577-1366) or 1345 for three-way phone interpretation.

Common questions

Does applying for welfare affect my visa?

Receiving a benefit you are entitled to is legal. Immigration may still look at your income and finances when you extend or change your visa (for example F-5 has income requirements). Ask 1345 if you are unsure.

I’m an F-5 permanent resident. Am I treated like a Korean?

Not automatically. F-5 helps for some programs (like the 2025 coupons), but most welfare still looks at nationality, marriage to a Korean or a Korean child.

Are there benefits for foreign workers specifically?

Yes, but mostly services rather than cash: free counseling, Korean classes, interpretation, and in 2026 the labor ministry co-funds regional foreign worker settlement centers run by local governments.

This guide explains the general rules as of the date above. Rules change and every case is different, so confirm with the office named here (or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center) before an important decision. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.