Ministry reveals names of non-custodial parents rejecting child support

The government on Sunday released the personal details of two non-custodial parents who have failed to pay child support for the first time since a related law revision came into effect in July.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it has disclosed the personal information of two separate obligors of child support who failed to provide the expenses ordered by the court, on its website.

According to the ministry, one obligor did not provide 65.2 million won ($55,543) of accumulated child support expenses over the past 14 years and 8 months, and the other person did not provide 125.6 million won of child support expenses accumulated over 10 years and 8 months.

The two obligors received detention orders by local courts for failing to provide for their children, and their creditors have requested the ministry reveal their names as punitive measures.

“We gave them three months to provide a statement of opinions, but they did not respond, so we decided to reveal their names,” the ministry said.

It is the first time the government has unveiled the names of obligors of child support who reject providing for their children since the amendment of the Act on Enforcing and Supporting Child Support Payment.

Once revealed, the personal information of the parent becomes public for three years, and will only be removed if the obligor dies, is confirmed as missing, or goes bankrupt. The name is also deleted if the party fulfills the obligation.

Under the amendment, the government can take three punitive actions against obligors, which include forbidding them from leaving the country, banning them from driving or disclosing their personal information to the public.

In October, the government ordered the prohibition of departure against two obligors, and banned driving for six obligors, for the first time. 

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)