Expansion of Jeonbuk-style Basic Livelihood Security Program Implementation

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Jeonbuk Province announced on the 27th that starting from January this year, it will abolish the property criteria for support obligors and raise the income criteria to 200% of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's standard, thereby independently expanding the provision of livelihood benefits to low-income groups.

Jeonbuk Province began the Jeonbuk-type Basic Livelihood Security Project, a campaign promise of Governor Song Ha-jin, in July last year to support the poor with a median income of 30% or less (KRW 1,424,752 per month for a family of four) who were excluded from livelihood benefits due to criteria such as support obligors. From this year, the support target has been expanded through the relaxation of standards.

With this expansion, the support target for the Jeonbuk-type Basic Livelihood Security Project has been adjusted upward from 148% to 200% for single-person households and from 114% to 200% for households of two or more, compared to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's income criteria for support obligors.

Although excluded from the Ministry of Health and Welfare's livelihood benefit support target, low-income groups supported under Jeonbuk Province's criteria can receive 40% of the livelihood benefits for single-person households and 30% for households of two or more compared to the Ministry's standards.

Jeonbuk Province completed consultations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare in October 2018 to establish the basis for implementing the Jeonbuk-type Basic Livelihood Security Project, and in November of the same year, enacted the "Jeollabuk-do Ordinance on Support for the Living Stability of Low-Income Residents."

Since June last year, applications have been accepted at community centers and city/county/district offices, and the income and property of applicant households and support obligors have been investigated. Approximately 500 eligible households under the Jeonbuk-type Basic Livelihood Security Project have been receiving livelihood benefits on the 30th of each month.

Governor Song Ha-jin stated, "We will widely publicize to ensure that no poor people are excluded from the Jeonbuk-type Basic Livelihood Security Project, and we will thoroughly promote the project by conducting ex officio investigations for elderly and disabled people with mobility difficulties. By supporting the poor who were excluded from livelihood benefits due to criteria such as support obligors, we expect to eliminate welfare blind spots and enhance the welfare perception of the residents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.