Guide to Child Support Calculations in South Korea

The Seoul Family Court announced the Korean Child Support Calculation Guidelines on December 22, 2021. These guidelines are updated each year. While these guidelines are not legally binding on Korean courts, these Child Support Guidelines in Korea are widely used in Korean divorce cases to calculate child support in Korean courts. Judges usually consider these guidelines when making child support determinations.

In the table above, the horizontal axis represents the combined income of both parents, while the vertical axis shows the age range of the child. The point where the parent’s income and the child’s age intersect indicates the standard child support amount. Each cell contains a range of smaller numbers which represents the standard child support range, while the bold number shows the average value. However, child support is not automatically set at the bold figure by Korean courts. The courts in Korea determine the final amount by considering various factors related to both the parents and the child, while, normally staying within the standard range.   

Income for child support calculation includes earnings, business income, rental income, interest income, government subsidies, and pensions. Pre-tax income is applied, not post-tax. Even if a parent has no income, they are still obligated to pay the “minimum child support.” Therefore, the leftmost section of the table, which includes the zero-income category, represents the minimum child support obligation. 

The step-by-step process for calculating child support in Korea based on Korea’s Child Support Guidelines  

• Determine the standard child support based on the parents’ combined income and the child’s age. 

• Confirm the total child support amount by totaling the amounts for each child and applying any adjustment factors. 

• Decide the contribution ratio for child support based on each parent’s income ratio. 

• Multiply the total child support amount by the non-custodial parent’s contribution ratio to calculate the amount they must pay. 

When determining the final child support, various factors are considered by Korean Family Court judges such as the parents’ financial status, place of residence (with adjustments for urban or rural living), the number of children (higher for one child, lower for three or more), high medical or educational expenses, and any bankruptcy proceedings of a parent. If calculating child support solely based on the guidelines results in an unreasonable amount due to significant differences in the parents’ assets, adjustments may be made.   

The guidelines assume the presence of two children, so adjustments are necessary for families with one or more than three children. Specifically, a multiplier of 1.065 is applied for one child, and a reduction factor of 0.783 is applied for three or more children. Adjustments should also account for place of residence: a multiplier of 1.079 is used for urban areas and a reduction factor of 0.835 for rural areas.   

In cases where a child has an illness or disability requiring regular medical care, these costs are often reflected in the child support calculation. Additionally, if both parents agreed to incur high educational costs before the divorce, beyond the usual expenses, an increase in child support may be necessary. Even in the absence of such an agreement, if the child’s aptitude and talent reasonably require it, the Korean court may still consider an increase in child support. 

It is important to understand that Korea’s Child Support Calculation Guidelines are not legally binding but serve as a reference. The final child support amount can vary significantly from the guidelines, depending on the parties’ choices and agreements, such as compensating for a larger division of marital assets in exchange for reduced child support payments. 

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by Jiwon MIN