Seminars

The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE) held its 4th KICCE Policy Forum on Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Sky Hall (21F), Myeong-dong Post Tower, Seoul, under the theme “Policy Measures to Improve Support for Childbearing and Childrearing in Non-Marital Households.” The forum was organized as part of KICCE’s 2025 occasional research project, Policy Measures to Improve Support for Childbearing and Childrearing in Non-Marital Households, to share research findings and gather expert opinions from academia. 

In the keynote presentation, Keun Jin Kim, Research Fellow and principal investigator of the study, presented “Policy Measures to Improve Support for Childbearing and Childrearing in Non-Marital Households.” The presentation reviewed the current status of domestic and international laws and systems, overseas cases, related bills, the permissible scope and policy issues surrounding assisted reproductive technology, as well as key considerations regarding the introduction of registered partnership. It concluded with proposals for legislative pathways.

A designated discussion session followed, chaired by Professor Yoonjin Lee (Konkuk University). Discussants were Hyo Jin Song, Senior Research Fellow at the Korean Women’s Development Institute (KWDI); Soo-Jung Byoun, Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA); Yoonhee Son, Associate Research Fellow at the Korean Peninsula Population Institute for Future (KPPIF); and Professor Su-jung Yoo from Dong-A University. The panel addressed areas where non-marital households may be underserved by existing childbearing and childcare support, distinctions between non-marital cohabitation and solo non-marital births, consideration of the best interests of the child, eligibility criteria for recipients of assisted reproductive services, and a tentative “Ordinance on the Protection of Family Diversity” at the local-government level.