3) Protection Policies and Realities of Youths Preparing for Independence (Children Discharged from Out-of-Home Care) A) Successive Deaths of Youths Preparing for Independence (Children Discharged from Out-of-Home Care) and Support Policies In Aug. 2022, two students, 19-year-old and 18-year-old, died at a university and apartment in Gwangju. They were supported as children subject to protection, but their support ended, and they decided to end their lives while experiencing economic and psychological hardships.293) When the two incidents were reported, the mayor of Gwangju announced a plan to strengthen the local support system for young people preparing for independence.294)295) The legal protection for the children subject to protection296) who have been living in child care facilities, communal homes, foster homes, etc. due to the death of their parents or child abuse, etc. ends when they reach the age of 18 and they become independent, except for exceptional circumstances, pursuant to Article 16(1) of the ‘Child Welfare Act.’ There are about 2,500 young people preparing for independence in a year, and despite various self-reliance support policies, they are facing difficulties.297) Some self-reliance support is provided after being discharged from the facility,298) but the ratio of receiving the basic livelihood benefit reaches 36.1% within 5 years from the end of 293) Kyunghyang Shinmun, Another Youth Discharged from Out-of-Home Care Takes Own Life ... Social Care is Desperately Needed, Aug. 24, 2022. 294) In the past, 'children discharged from out-of-home care’ meant those whose protection by the state and local governments ended when they reached a certain age, but from 2021, the government has announced that it will use the term “youth preparing for independence” to mean that they will be seen as independent beings. 295) Kwangju In, Mayor of Kwangju, Full text of press conference on ‘strengthening support for youth discharged from out-of-home care,’ Aug. 25, 2022. 296) The term "child subject to protection" means a child who has no protector or is separated from a protector, or whose protector is unsuitable for, or incapable of, rearing them, such as in cases of child abuse by the protector (Article 3(4) of the Child Welfare Act). 297) NHRCK, Decided on Apr. 21, 2021, Recommendation to Improve the System for Heightened Human Rights of Children Discharged from Out-of-Home Care 298) The state and local governments take certain supportive measures to support self-reliance after the end of protection for children who have not passed 5 years after the end of protection. (Article 38, Child Welfare Act). Support for self-reliance include: ① support for residence, living, education and employment, etc.; ② support in formation and management of assets; ③ develop and manage programs to strengthen independent living capacity; and ④ regular payment of allowances for independence to support living expenses, etc. 129