“Support for medical expenses for undocumented immigrant children under 6 years old begins”

The Community Chest of Korea and the Seoul Archdiocese Migrant Pastoral Committee (Chairman Father Sang-hyeok Yoo) are carrying out the ‘Wings of Hope,’ a medical expense support project for the healthy growth and development of undocumented migrant children.

This project is a project to support medical expenses for undocumented immigrant children who are at risk of survival due to lack of health insurance benefits. It is to support undocumented immigrant children to receive timely medical support so that they can grow up and live healthily.

The support target is unregistered immigrant children under the age of 6 who are not enrolled in school. Up to 5 million won for emergency and severe medical expenses, up to 3 million won for childbirth-related medical expenses, up to 1 million won for minor medical expenses, and up to 300,000 won for essential vaccinations. However, for emergency and severe cases, the support amount can be increased depending on the case. This year, applications will be accepted until December, but the project will run for three years until 2027.

Individuals cannot apply, but can apply at any institution nationwide that can manage cases. For this project, the Seoul Archdiocese Migrant Pastoral Committee signed a business agreement (MOU) with 15 diocesan migrant pastoral committees nationwide in February.

Each diocese's immigration ministry committee that signed the agreement plans to systematically connect immigrants who wish to apply to related organizations such as medical hospitals and immigrant shelters and provide guidance on how to fill out the application form.

If applications are received through the organizations, the Seoul Archdiocese's immigration ministry committee will hold a review committee meeting at the beginning of each month, select support recipients, and then send medical expenses to the medical hospitals.

Father Sang-hyeok Yoo, chairman of the Seoul Migrant Pastoral Committee, said about the background of the project, “Undocumented migrant children who are in the blind spot of welfare are often not protected from social and physical violence and crime, not to mention educational opportunities, and they often do not receive appropriate medical benefits.” He added, “This project aims to thoroughly protect the ‘lives’ of these children, and since one of the most important spirits of the church is the protection of life, the need for this project is great.”

Inquiry 02-953-0468 Unregistered immigrant children support project 'Wings of Hope’

Mary Eve of Papaya Story