There are many kinds of childcare support, and the application window differs by ministry, so it is common to apply for one and assume the rest are handled automatically, then miss them. Instead of searching over and over, here is what to check right now and where to apply, organized by your child's situation.
1Once you have confirmed a pregnancy — register on the Aisarang portal first
Registering your pregnancy on the Aisarang Pregnancy and Childcare Portal, run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, lets you get information on prenatal-checkup cost support, folic acid and iron supplement support, and other pregnancy-period benefits, all in one place. After birth, you will keep using the same portal to search daycare centers and pay childcare fees with the National Happiness Card, so signing up early makes the later stages easier.
2Right after birth — you do not apply separately for the First Meeting Voucher, parental allowance, and child allowance
After registering a birth, it might seem like you need to apply separately at different places for the First Meeting Voucher, parental allowance, and child allowance — but you can apply for all of them at once through Gov24's Happy Birth One-Stop Service. It is processed at the same time as the birth registration, so there is no need to visit the community service center multiple times.
3If you are about to return to work — apply for parental leave benefits separately, on Work24
Unlike the support payments above, parental leave benefits fall under the Ministry of Employment and Labor rather than the Ministry of Health and Welfare, so the application window is different. If you are an employee enrolled in employment insurance and you take parental leave, you need to apply for parental leave benefits separately on Work24 — applying for the earlier birth-support payments does not process this automatically, which is easy to miss.
4If you need somewhere to leave your child — the right window depends on age and situation
- Still looking into daycare centers → apply online for a spot on the waiting list through the Aisarang portal
- Dual-income or single-parent household that wants a caregiver to come to your home → Idolbom Childcare Service (government-supported home-visit care)
- Elementary-school child with nowhere reliable to go after school → check local care facilities through the Dahamkke (All-Together) Care Center
5Multicultural families have a separate place to get counseling without worrying about language
Most of the services above are guided in Korean, so multicultural families often get stuck during the application process. Calling Danuri (1577-1366), run by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, gets you interpretation counseling in 13 languages, including guidance through applying for childcare support.
6Wondering whether there is support beyond what is listed here
There is often more childcare support than what is listed here — local governments add their own on top, and new programs keep appearing. Rather than searching separately every time, Bokjiro, run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, lets you enter your household's situation and find every welfare service you qualify for, organized by life stage, in one search — so it is more efficient to look there first, then go find the actual application window in the order above.
Services mentioned in this guide
Aisarang Pregnancy and Childcare Portal
A childcare information portal covering everything from pregnancy and birth counseling to daycare search and childcare-fee support
Online 24 hours, phone counseling on weekdays
Operated by · 보건복지부
Cost · Free
Happy Birth One-Stop Service
A Gov24 service that lets you apply for multiple birth-support payments - the First Meeting Voucher, parental allowance, child allowance, and more - in a single application after registering a birth
Online 24 hours; in-person follows community service center hours
Operated by · 행정안전부
Cost · Free
Work24 (Worknet / Unemployment Benefits)
The Ministry of Employment and Labor's main job-search portal, unifying job registration, unemployment benefit applications, and job-training search in one place
24 hours
Operated by · 고용노동부
Cost · Free
Idolbom Childcare Service
A government-supported home-visit childcare service where a caregiver comes to look after children in dual-income or single-parent households, among others
Applications accepted anytime; actual care hours vary by application
Operated by · 여성가족부
Cost · Paid
Dahamkke (All-Together) Care Center
A service that helps you find a local after-school care facility where elementary-school children - including those in dual-income households - can be safely looked after
During term, weekdays 13:00-20:00; during vacation, weekdays 09:00-18:00 (varies by center)
Operated by · 보건복지부
Cost · Free
Danuri Multicultural Family Support Portal (1577-1366)
A 24-hour call center providing everyday-life counseling, interpretation, and crisis support in 13 languages for multicultural families and immigrants
24 hours
Operated by · 여성가족부
Cost · Free
Bokjiro (Welfare Portal)
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's main welfare portal for searching life-stage welfare services and applying online directly
24 hours
Operated by · 보건복지부·한국사회보장정보원
Cost · Free