Public System for Family Counselling Service in South Korea

Abstract

Over the last three decades, family therapy/counselling in South Korea has expanded significantly in both public and private sectors and this paper overviews its development and the status of public infrastructure. Since the establishment of the Korean Association of Family Therapy in 1988, family counselling has developed as a distinct professional area but was mainly carried out in the private sector until the mid-2000s. In 2005, the Healthy Family Act was legislated, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was established, and approximately 250 public family support centers (FSCs) are currently in operation with a key responsibility for family counselling. FSCs provide diverse services such as couple and family counselling, family group counselling, family helpline, and divorce counselling with an estimated 73,392 users in 2018 (KIHF, 2019). Furthermore, 63 FSCs are accredited as institutes for divorce counselling where various forms of service for divorcing families are provided. Although South Korea has one of the most advanced public systems for a family counselling service in Asia, some issues need to be resolved for its sustainable development including counsellor qualifications, appropriate fees, and the balance between public and private services.