Public healthcare, retirement planning and small-business recovery services added to referral network

Collaboration extended to National Medical Center, National Pension Service and others

About 130,000 people connected to support services since 2024 launch

Korea Credit Counseling and Recovery Service Chairwoman Kim Eun-kyung speaks at an empathy talk concert held with 34 employees. [Korea Credit Counseling and Recovery Service]
Korea Credit Counseling and Recovery Service Chairwoman Kim Eun-kyung speaks at an empathy talk concert held with 34 employees. [Korea Credit Counseling and Recovery Service]

The Korea Credit Counseling and Recovery Service and the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency will expand their debt and financial counseling services to connect clients with public healthcare, retirement planning and small-business recovery support. The move aims to address not only financial difficulties but also the broader life challenges — health problems, retirement insecurity and business failure — that vulnerable groups often face alongside debt.

The two agencies announced Thursday that they are broadening their integrated support network in collaboration with the National Medical Center, the National Cancer Center, the National Pension Service, the Small Enterprise and Market Service and the Korea Asset Management Corp. The integrated support system allows clients to receive counseling on financial, employment and welfare services in a single visit and be referred to relevant programs.

Previously, the network primarily covered financial support such as policy-based microfinance and debt restructuring, employment programs including the National Employment Support Service and the National Tomorrow Learning Card, and welfare benefits such as livelihood grants and emergency welfare assistance. Since its 2024 launch, the system has connected about 130,000 people to various support programs through the end of last year.

The expansion adds public healthcare, retirement preparation and small-business recovery to the referral network. Clients will be able to access medical support services from the National Medical Center and the National Cancer Center, as well as retirement readiness assessments and professional financial counseling through the National Pension Service. Small-business owners struggling with closures or financial difficulties will be referred to recovery programs such as the Small Enterprise and Market Service's Hope Return Package and debt restructuring services including the Korea Asset Management Corp.'s Fresh Start Fund.

The two agencies will link their computer systems with all partner institutions to share user information needed for integrated support. Regardless of which agency a client approaches first, that agency can refer the client to other relevant services if it determines additional support is needed. Partner institutions will also be able to proactively contact clients directly after reviewing their information to guide them toward applicable services.

The expansion reflects the recognition that many clients dealing with debt also carry other burdens — medical costs, retirement anxiety and business failure among them. The two agencies plan to work with partner institutions to address problems that financial support alone cannot solve.

"The difficulties faced by vulnerable groups rarely end with a single financial problem," said Kim Eun-kyung, who chairs both the Korea Credit Counseling and Recovery Service and the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency. "We will continue to strengthen the integrated support framework in cooperation with a wide range of institutions so that clients can receive the help they need."


snsd@heraldcorp.com