South Korea National Basic Livelihood Security System (국민기초생활보장제도) is a comprehensive social assistance program administered by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) that guarantees minimum living standards for low-income households by providing four categories of means-tested benefits — livelihood, medical, housing, and education — to individuals and families whose recognized income falls below specific percentages of the national median income. Enacted in 1999 and reformed in 2015 to adopt a customized benefit system (맞춤형 급여체계), the program serves approximately 2.4 million beneficiaries and represents the cornerstone of South Korea's social safety net.
