South Korea to allow proxy applications for pregnancy support services

Kim, a pregnant woman ordered to rest in hospital after showing signs of premature labor, had wanted to apply for government support — including folic acid and iron supplements — through the "Mom-Comfortable Pregnancy" service, but had been putting it off because her condition made it impossible to apply in person. Once the proxy application service takes effect, she plans to designate her husband as her representative to submit the application on her behalf.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced Monday that it has revised the regulations governing the integrated processing of pregnancy and childbirth support services, with the changes set to take effect June 30.

The revision focuses on removing the inconvenience faced by pregnant women who cannot apply for services themselves, by allowing a designated representative to apply on their behalf.

Under the expanded eligibility rules, a pregnant woman unable to apply directly due to unavoidable circumstances may have a family member — including a spouse, lineal blood relative, sibling or sibling's spouse — submit the application in her place.

A proxy applicant must submit a power of attorney and a family relations certificate proving their relationship to the pregnant woman. The document submission requirement may be waived, however, if the applicant consents to the use of the shared administrative information system.

Alongside the new proxy application option, the benefits and convenience of individual policies within the one-stop pregnancy and childbirth service will also be expanded.

The maternal and newborn health care support service — one component of the "Mom-Comfortable Pregnancy" program — will extend income-unrestricted eligibility to families who give birth to premature infants. Premature infants are defined as newborns delivered before 37 weeks of gestation or weighing less than 2.5 kilograms.

In addition, the childbirth allowance payment under the "Happy Childbirth" postnatal service, which previously could only be applied for at the address listed on the mother's resident registration, will become available at any location nationwide.

Kim Min-jae, vice minister of the Ministry of Interior and Safety, said the government is concentrating its efforts to ensure that anyone can easily and conveniently access the full range of public services related to pregnancy and childbirth. "We will continue to work actively with relevant ministries to make pregnancy and childbirth support services even more accessible, and to minimize the inconveniences people face in their daily lives," Kim said.