Every year, between 2,000 and 2,500 young people in Korea step out of the protective embrace of orphanages and other foster facilities such as youth shelters. When they turn 18, their state protection officially ends, forcing them into an often-unforgiving world where financial literacy and a robust support system are paramount.
They are known in Korean as "jalipjunbi cheongnyeon," or young adults preparing for independent living — a term that has replaced the more stigmatizing “orphan” to more accurately and respectfully reflect their transition into adulthood.
For many, this transition is fraught with peril.
“At 18, we are required to leave the childcare facility and suddenly become independent,” one young woman said during a counseling session with the Beautiful Foundation, a nonprofit that supports young adults transitioning out of institutional care. “We’re known as the so-called ‘eighteen adults’ — forced to grow up faster than anyone else, just to survive.”
While a 2022 amendment to the Child Welfare Act now allows these young adults to extend their protected status until age 24, a significant number still embark on independent life at 18. The immediate financial lifeline comes in the form of a self-sufficiency allowance, currently around 500,000 won per month, provided for five years. This allowance, along with an initial lump sum for housing, is meant to ease their path. However, as the experiences of an estimated 10,000 young Koreans currently receiving this allowance show, financial aid alone is often not enough.
Beyond initial housing costs, many struggle with daily expenses.
For some young people, the government's monthly allowance and part-time earnings are barely enough to cover essential costs like rent, utilities and food. This financial strain often forces them to work multiple jobs, leading to physical exhaustion and the added burden of medical bills. Such struggles highlight how challenging it is for them to achieve financial stability, especially with the ever-increasing cost of living.
Beyond the monetary struggles lies a deeper, more insidious challenge: a profound mental health crisis.
A 2023 survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare revealed a startling statistic: 46.5 percent of young adults preparing for independent living have contemplated suicide at some point in their lives. This is a rate 4.4 times higher than that of the general youth population, which is 10.5 percent. For those approaching the end of state care or who have recently transitioned out, the picture remains grim: 42.8 percent of those nearing departure and 50 percent of those already on their own reported having contemplated suicide.
Sudden independence can take a huge toll on young adults.
One young person told an aid group they were overwhelmed with anxiety about leaving the facility. After transitioning out, he felt completely alone and couldn’t bring himself to leave his room.
This sense of isolation is deepened by a troubling trend: more than 20 percent of these young adults lose contact with their assigned caseworker each year. In 2021 alone, 2,299 individuals — 20.2 percent — became unreachable, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data submitted to the National Assembly. The result is a patchwork system with gaping blind spots, where vulnerable young people can quietly slip through the cracks.
The myriad challenges faced by young adults transitioning out of state care in Korea are tragically underscored by a chilling pattern of suicides. A 2022 Kookmin Ilbo newspaper report revealed that at least 13 young adults who had transitioned out of care facilities took their own lives between January 2019 and August 2022. These figures, drawn from government records detailing reasons for the discontinuation of self-sufficiency allowances, are likely an underestimation, as they exclude individuals not receiving financial aid.
More recent disclosures paint an even bleaker picture.
The JoongAng Ilbo daily reported in May 2024 that 20 youth preparing for independent living died by suicide between January 2019 and September 2023. Beyond official statistics, anecdotal evidence from those on the front lines suggests a deeper crisis. A director at Orphan Rights and Interests Solidarity, an advocacy group, chillingly recounted a specific orphanage where 20 out of 80 former residents died after reaching adulthood, hinting at a far more pervasive issue than official numbers indicate.
In response to this crisis, the Korean government has initiated various support measures. These include increasing self-sufficiency allowances, providing medical assistance, prioritizing public housing and expanding dedicated support personnel.
However, the sheer scale of the challenges faced by youth preparing for independent living, from profound psychological distress and social isolation to persistent financial instability, means that current efforts remain a work in progress. For these young adults, the journey to true independence extends far beyond their 18th birthday, requiring not just financial aid but a deeper, more compassionate societal safety net.