South Korea's Financial Services Commission will accept applications for a second Youth Future Savings Account enrollment round from Oct. 7 to 16, 2026, reopening access after the initial recruitment. Successful applicants may open accounts from Nov. 16 to 27 following eligibility reviews. The three-year account permits monthly deposits of KRW 1,000 to KRW 500,000 and provides government matching contributions and tax-exempt interest. Applicants must generally be aged 19 to 34, with up to six years of military service excluded from the age calculation. Eligibility requires gross salary of no more than KRW 75 million or small business annual sales of no more than KRW 300 million, alongside household income of no more than 200% of median income. Matching rates are 6% for the general category and 12% for qualifying preferential applicants, while those in the upper income band receive only the tax benefit. The round also gives existing Youth Leap Account holders another opportunity to switch without losing accrued government contributions or tax benefits, using a special early termination after opening the new account. The commission will strengthen preferential-category checks for small and midsize enterprise employees, provide preliminary results and opportunities to explain discrepancies, and expand applicant notifications and support capacity. Separately, a proposed 2027 budget would broaden eligibility and raise the preferential matching rate from 12% to 15%, or 25% for employees of regional small and midsize enterprises. If approved by the National Assembly, the higher preferential rates would apply retroactively to existing account holders, while broader eligibility would begin with 2027 recruitment.

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