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Busan Expands Public-Private Partnership to Support Children and Youth Providing Family Care

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) signed a tripartite partnership agreement on April 4 with ChildFund Korea’s Busan Regional Office and the Busan Association of Social Welfare Centers to strengthen support for children and youth in family caregiving roles.

The signing ceremony took place at 2:00 p.m. in the International Protocol Room at City Hall, attended by Mayor Park, ChildFund Korea’s Busan Director Lee Soo-kyung, Association Chair Ryu Seung-il, and LG Electronics Best Shop’s Regional Manager Kim Joon-sung.

Children and youth caregivers are minors or young adults who take on caregiving duties for family members due to unexpected accidents, illnesses, or disabilities—often at the expense of their own well-being and education.

This agreement is a proactive measure ahead of the “Act on Support for At-Risk Children and Youth in Family Caregiving Roles,” which was passed in February 2025 and will be implemented in March 2026. The law will formally establish support systems for this newly recognized vulnerable group.

The goal of the agreement is to build a stronger, integrated support system through public-private cooperation for timely identification and customized assistance for children and youth caregivers.

• ●Busan City will identify eligible youth and connect them to daily care services and related programs.

• ●ChildFund Korea will provide KRW 300 million in funding through 2026 and oversee fundraising and promotion.

• ●The Association of Social Welfare Centers will conduct case management and resource coordination.

Under this agreement, eligible individuals may receive at least KRW 2 million per person for expenses such as caregiving support, education, housing, and medical services.

Eligibility includes:

• ●Household income below 80% of the national median

• ●Individuals under the age of 24

Support categories include: • Caregiving expenses (living support, co-payments for caregivers, leisure activity support)
• Education (skills development, self-improvement, books, supplies)
• Housing (home repair, appliance purchases)
• Medical (psychological testing, counseling, mental health services)

Applications and inquiries may be directed to ChildFund Korea, Busan Office at ☎ 051-505-3118.

LG Electronics Best Shop (BFG Branch) will serve as the primary corporate sponsor, launching a donation campaign across 51 store locations in Busan (21), Ulsan (10), and Gyeongnam (20). Campaign activities include:

• In-store promotional videos
• Donation banners and information displays
• Donation guidance for customers

Donors who sign up for regular monthly giving will receive gift items and coffee coupons. Those who donate for at least three months will receive additional benefits such as 3% discounts on purchases and 4% point accumulation on subscription products.

Mayor Park stated:

“Through today’s agreement, we will connect public and private services to ensure early identification and timely support for children and youth facing family caregiving responsibilities. We are committed to helping them grow into healthy, capable individuals.”

“Busan will continue to work with the community and corporate partners to create and implement meaningful policies that produce real results.”