Child Allowance Age Expansion: How Families Can Receive Up to 480,000 KRW in April 2026

Starting April 24, parents whose children had already turned eight and lost eligibility were surprised to find up to 480,000 KRW (≈ $360) suddenly deposited into their accounts.

An amendment to the government’s Child Allowance Act raised the upper age limit to under nine. Payments that were missed from January through March were retroactively added to April’s disbursement and paid in a single lump sum.

Metro vs. non-metro: Payments differ by where you live

The Ministry of Health and Welfare says the revision sets the payment age limit at under nine this year and will increase it by one year annually through 2030.

Along with the age change, the amendment introduces regional supplements. Previously, the allowance was a uniform 100,000 KRW (≈ $75) per month nationwide. The revision adds area-based top-ups intended to counter rural population decline.

Children living in the Seoul metropolitan area will continue to receive 100,000 KRW (≈ $75) per month. Children outside the metro area will receive an additional 5,000 KRW (≈ $3.75) per month.

Additionally, children in 49 designated depopulation-priority areas will receive a 10,000 KRW (≈ $7.50) supplement, and those in 40 specially designated areas will receive a 20,000 KRW (≈ $15) supplement. That raises the maximum monthly payment to 120,000 KRW (≈ $90).

Retroactive payments by birth month — up to 480,000 KRW (≈ $360)

The largest beneficiaries are children born between January 2017 and March 2018, whose allowances had stopped during the legislative change. Local governments will automatically credit their retroactive payments on April 24; families do not need to reapply.

Exactly how much appears in a bank account depends on the child’s birth month and the family’s residence.

Children born between January 2017 and January 2018 will receive four months’ worth of payments (January–April) in one transfer. The basic allowance totals 400,000 KRW (≈ $300). With the maximum special-area supplement (20,000 KRW/month ≈ $15), the payout can reach 480,000 KRW (≈ $360).

Children born in February 2018 will receive three months’ retroactive pay (February–April), amounting to between 300,000 KRW (≈ $225) and 380,000 KRW (≈ $285). Children born in March 2018 will receive two months (March–April), totaling between 200,000 KRW (≈ $150) and 280,000 KRW (≈ $210).

Children born after April 2018 will receive only the regular April payment — between 100,000 and 180,000 KRW (≈ $75–$135) — with no retroactive lump sum.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare says about 2.55 million children will receive allowances this month, including those getting retroactive payments, and that the total disbursement will amount to 389.2 billion KRW (≈ $292 million).