Starting in 2026, Korea’s disability pension will rise to a maximum of KRW 439,700 per month, with the basic benefit increasing by KRW 7,190 to KRW 349,700. The government is expanding support for various groups, including people with disabilities, unemployed youth, small business owners, and import/export companies. New initiatives include the launch of ‘First Step Employment Guarantee Centers’ and additional ‘University Job Plus Centers,’ as well as increased subsidies for hydrogen vehicles and enhanced industrial accident prevention.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare set the 2026 disability pension eligibility thresholds at KRW 1.4 million for single households and KRW 2.24 million for couples, up by KRW 20,000 and KRW 32,000 respectively. According to a survey by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, 65% of restaurants experienced no-show losses in the past three years, with an average loss of KRW 443,000 per incident. The government will invest KRW 576.2 billion to supply 7,820 hydrogen vehicles and KRW 189.7 billion to build over 500 hydrogen charging stations.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor will establish 10 new youth employment support centers and recruit 46 more universities for tailored career services. The Korea Customs Service has streamlined tax payment extensions and installment applications for import/export companies via the UNI-PASS online system, adding 3,861 new eligible firms, including social enterprises. The National Fire Agency is intensifying fire prevention activities for elderly living alone during winter.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has set up a pan-government task force for rapid vaccine introduction during infectious disease outbreaks. To reduce industrial accidents, the government will subsidize up to 90% of accident prevention items for small businesses. The National Tax Service will extend VAT payment deadlines by two months for small businesses with declining sales and expand simplified tax eligibility. These measures aim to strengthen social safety nets, boost the economy, and improve quality of life.