The government will increase next year’s youth policy budget to 43.3 trillion Korean won, up 53.5% from this year, under a strategy designed to rebuild a growth ladder across employment, entrepreneurship, housing, asset formation, marriage and childbirth. The Financial Services Commission (South Korea’s financial regulator) announced the plan with related ministries at the Youth Budget Unboxing 2027 event at Cheong Wa Dae on the 28th, chaired by the President. The measures respond to structural pressures including delayed entry into first jobs, a rise in inactive people in their 20s and 30s to 651,000 as of July, and a widening asset gap between older and younger generations to 3.9 times in 2024 from 2.4 times in 2012. The government said its support could total 140.57 million Korean won by age 18 and 195.82 million won by age 34 for people receiving assistance from birth through parenting, education, job seeking, asset accumulation, housing and marriage. Key measures include training and hiring programs, startup support, expanded public and youth rental housing, a 1 million Korean won marriage payment, and childcare and child basic allowances scheduled to begin in July next year.