Seoul Expands Free Legal Counseling for Young Adults Leaving Care

After losing his identification card and mobile phone SIM card, Kim Seok-hyun, a pseudonym, found himself caught in an identity-theft case involving more than 100 million won in illicit transactions. A bank account opened in his name was used as a so-called ghost account, and its transactions were suspended.

Kim had left a child-care facility and settled in Seoul as he began living independently. He sought help from Seoul's dedicated support agency for young adults preparing for independence. The agency provided free legal counseling and helped arrange a lawyer from the Korean Women Lawyers Association.

The lawyer is assisting Kim as he responds to investigative procedures, including confrontational questioning. Kim Young-mi, chairwoman of the association's special committee supporting young adults preparing for independence, said lawyers "play the role of responding alongside them like a guardian during the process of actually resolving a case."

Seoul said on the 7th that it would expand the free legal counseling program into a permanent service starting this month. The program serves young adults who leave child-care facilities or foster homes after turning 18 and begin living on their own. As of the end of July, 1,150 such young adults lived in Seoul.

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They play the role of responding alongside them like a guardian during the process of actually resolving a case.