Songpa-gu to Provide 500,000 KRW Monthly Support for Unpaid Leave Workers in Businesses with Fewer Than 5 Employees

Applications accepted from the 1st to 10th of every month... Direct deposit to unpaid leave employees' accounts after review

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) will provide employment retention support funds to small business owners with fewer than five employees who were forced to take unpaid leave due to the COVID-19 crisis.

This measure aims to assist local small business owners struggling amid the COVID-19 situation. Employees enrolled in employment insurance who have taken unpaid leave for more than five days since February 23, when the infectious disease crisis alert was raised to the "serious" level, are eligible to receive the employment retention support funds.

The support amount depends on the number of unpaid leave days. It provides 25,000 KRW per day, up to a maximum of 500,000 KRW per month, for two months. Songpa-gu explained that a total budget of 1.475 billion KRW will be invested.

Industries such as △retail and wholesale △lodging and food services △technology startup companies can have one unpaid leave employee per business receive the employment retention support funds. The tourism industry, which has been severely impacted by COVID-19, can have up to two employees receive the support funds.

Entertainment bars, nightclubs, gambling-related businesses, single-person businesses, spouses of business owners, and relatives within the fourth degree of kinship are excluded from the support.

Applications for the employment retention support funds can be submitted from the 1st to the 10th of each month. Support funds for unpaid leave from February 23 to March 31 can be applied for between April 1 and 10, and support funds for unpaid leave from April 1 to 30 can be applied for between May 1 and 10.

Applications can be submitted by visiting the Songpa Iljari Integrated Support Center or Munjeong Biz Valley Job Hub Center, or via email (songpajob@citizen.seoul.kr) or fax (2147-3965).

For more detailed information, including application forms and supporting documents, please check the Songpa-gu Office website.

However, Songpa-gu added that due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 and ongoing social distancing campaigns, online applications are recommended.

Songpa-gu plans to review the submitted applications and directly deposit the employment retention support funds into the accounts of unpaid leave employees.

Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “Small business owners with fewer than five employees account for 77% of local businesses. We hope this unpaid leave employment retention support fund will help stabilize employment in small businesses with fewer than five employees.”

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