Beginning in April, the South Korean government will launch a pilot program called 'Dementia Care Asset Management Support Service', aimed at assisting with the property management of dementia patients. This initiative seeks to lower the barriers for accessing private trusts, with the intention of preventing scams against dementia patients from low-income backgrounds while safeguarding their assets. The Ministry of Health and Welfare confirmed this plan following discussions in their National Dementia Management Committee as part of their fifth comprehensive dementia management plan for the years 2026-2030.

The new support service will allow dementia patients or their legal guardians to enter into a property trust agreement with the government, whereupon the National Pension Service will oversee the management of the assets. Previous reports indicated that family caregivers or children of dementia patients have repeatedly been implicated in unauthorized withdrawals or identity theft leading to financial fraud. The Ministry anticipates that the introduction of this service will mitigate such risks, particularly for dementia patients who are unable to utilize private trust arrangements. A 2023 study indicated that dementia patients aged 65 and older have a collective wealth amounting to approximately 153 trillion Korean won.

The Ministry plans to initiate the service starting with a pilot involving 750 low-income pension beneficiaries, providing management for their cash, designated bonds, and real estate assets. This is the first step, with the goal to gradually expand the program's reach and types of properties included ahead of a full rollout by 2028. Furthermore, as part of the Dementia Public Guardianship initiative, the Ministry aims to increase support personnel from the current 300 to 1900 by 2030, thereby better facilitating essential services to protect the dignity and welfare of dementia patients living in the community.