South Korea has lowered the minimum age for debit (check) card eligibility from 12 to 7, allowing even first-grade students to carry and use a card under their own name.
In practical terms, this marks the end of the familiar “using a parent’s card” workaround. Elementary schoolers can now make everyday payments independently.
The update goes beyond just age limits. The monthly spending cap for youth transit cards (ages 12 and up) has doubled from 50,000 to 100,000 won. Parents can also apply for family credit cards issued under their child’s name, now supported by a clearer legal framework.
From an industry perspective, card companies appear to be playing a long-term game — engaging customers earlier in life. To address concerns about fraud and misuse among younger users, companies are introducing AI-based transaction monitoring and enhanced voice phishing prevention systems.
—
UoH offers a personal assistant program with two types of services. For traveling in Korea, we assist with any type of reservations, rentals, and personal assistance. For shopping, we purchase anything you need and ship it to your home. Feel free to email us at uofhorang@gmail.com for a quote and to find out how to proceed!
