Nanum & Ieum and the National Center for the Rights of the Child (“NCRC”) signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for Strengthening Legal Support for Youth Preparing for Independence" at the office of Shin & Kim LLC on February 19.
The two organizations have established a collaborative framework to address legal issues faced by youth preparing for independence. Nanum & Ieum will provide legal counseling to these youth and, if necessary, will coordinate with Shin & Kim LLC’s Public Interest Legal Support Center to provide litigation support.
Youth preparing for independence face various legal issues such as housing, finance, and employment as they transition out of care facilities. Of the 197 counseling cases received by the NCRC’s integrated platform “Independence Information ON,” which was launched in May 2024, about 10% (18 cases) were related to legal issues. The most common issues were lease fraud, inheritance of debts, and civil disputes, with many cases particularly involving property rights, housing issues, and financial transactions, all of which required legal assistance.
The NCRC plans to promote the “Tricycle” legal education program for youth preparing for independence, led by Nanum & Ieum, through the Independence Information ON platform and the national network of dedicated independence support agencies. Youth preparing for independence will be able to quickly access services ranging from remote consultations to public interest litigation support when legal issues arise.
In addition to collaborating on legal support, the two organizations will also jointly carry out social contribution activities. The NCRC plans to participate in Nanum & Ieum’s activities to spread the culture of sharing, such as free meal distribution service.
Chairman Il-Young Min said, “We will support youth preparing for independence so that they can quickly resolve legal issues they face after leaving care facilities.” Director Ik-Joong Jeong of the NCRC added, “Through this agreement, we hope that youth preparing for independence can receive prompt and professional legal assistance without worrying about the cost when they face legal difficulties.”
