JB Financial Group will cooperate with the UNICEF Korea Committee to guarantee basic rights for unregistered migrant children.

JB Financial said on March 12 it signed a business agreement on March 11 at the UNICEF Korea Committee's headquarters in Mapo district, Seoul, to jointly 추진 'Project 169' with the UNICEF Korea Committee. The signing ceremony was attended by Jin-seok Choi (최진석), executive director at JB Financial Group, and Mi-jin Cho (조미진), secretary general of the UNICEF Korea Committee, among other officials.

Project 169 reflects the substance of Article 16.9 of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to provide legal status for everyone, including birth registration, by 2030. Under the slogan 'No Child Left Unseen', it is a public-private cooperative governance model in which companies, local governments and private institutions work together to support unregistered migrant children in administrative blind spots so they can be guaranteed basic rights such as medical care and childcare.

JB Financial carried out a support project for unregistered migrant children last year with the cities of Siheung and Hwaseong. Based on that, it expanded the target areas this year to a total of 8 local governments by adding Suwon, Gwangju's Gwangsan district, Gimje and Namwon in North Jeolla Province, and Yeongam county in South Jeolla Province.

From this year, it will strengthen tailored support by life stage by including not only unregistered children aged 0 to 13 but also pregnant women. Key support includes health check-ups by infant and toddler development stage and coverage of essential medication costs, as well as prenatal and childbirth-related medical support for pregnant women.

It also plans to make parenting education for parents with a migrant background and tailored financial education that draws on JB Financial's expertise mandatory.

Jin-seok Choi, who attended the signing ceremony, said warm attention and support were urgently needed for unregistered migrant children, who live in society but can be seen as children who do not exist. He said JB Financial Group would provide full support so that all children can be guaranteed the basic rights they deserve without discrimination.