Starting January, the monthly disability pension amount has been increased to a maximum of 439,700 KRW. The disability pension consists of a basic pension that compensates for lost or reduced income due to loss or reduction of work capacity, and an additional pension that compensates for extra costs incurred due to disability. The basic pension is increased annually by a fixed amount reflecting the previous year’s national consumer price fluctuation rate.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has decided to set the basic pension amount for 2026 at 349,700 KRW (an increase of 7,190 KRW), reflecting the national consumer price fluctuation rate of 2.1% for 2025. Accordingly, severely disabled individuals receiving the disability pension will receive a maximum of 439,700 KRW per month starting January 20 (January payment date), combining the basic pension of 349,700 KRW and the additional pension of 90,000 KRW.
The disability pension is provided to severely disabled individuals aged 18 and over whose recognized income, including that of their spouse, is below the selection criteria amount. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has set the selection criteria amount for 2026 at 1.4 million KRW for single households and 2.24 million KRW for couple households, an increase of 20,000 KRW and 32,000 KRW respectively from the previous year.
Severely disabled individuals who wish to newly apply for the disability pension can visit any town or district office nationwide regardless of their registered address or apply through the welfare website (www.bokjiro.go.kr). Additionally, the Ministry of Health and Welfare provides a monthly disability allowance of 60,000 KRW to basic livelihood recipients and low-income individuals aged 18 and over with mild disabilities, and a monthly disability child allowance of up to 220,000 KRW to basic livelihood recipients and low-income households with severely or mildly disabled children under 18.