politics
South Korea Approves 184 Sanctions on 166 People for Unpaid Child Support
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family imposed 120 travel bans, 41 license suspensions and 23 public disclosures on 166 individuals. The average unpaid amount among those sanctioned reached 45 million won.
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The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family approved 184 sanctions against 166 people for failing to meet child-support obligations on June 21, 2026. The sanctions, cleared earlier this month by the 51st child support enforcement review committee, include 120 travel bans, 41 driver's license suspensions and 23 cases of public disclosure of personal information.
The average unpaid child-support balance among the sanctioned individuals stood at approximately 45 million won, while the largest single outstanding amount reached about 192 million won.
Under the Child Support Act, sanctions can be applied when a person fails to pay a court-ordered lump-sum amount for more than 30 days, misses payments at least three times after a court enforcement order, or owes more than 30 million won. The ministry reported a steady rise in enforcement actions. Officials recorded 639 sanctions in 2023, 947 in 2024 and 1,389 in 2025.
In the first half of 2026 alone, 720 sanctions were approved. Gender Equality Minister Won Min-kyong stated the government would seek more effective penalties; enforcement actions have risen from 639 in 2023 to 1,389 in 2025. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's sign is seen in this undated file photo.
