Gwanak-gu, Emergency Support for Livelihood Stability of Vulnerable Groups in Response to COVID-19

Government Emergency Disaster Relief Payments Completed for Over 22,000 Households Receiving Livelihood Benefits, Basic Pension, and Disability Pension... Full Efforts to Support Vulnerable Groups with Temporary Living Support, Seoul City Emergency Living Expenses, and Childcare Coupons

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) is implementing various policies to stabilize the lives and promote economic recovery of vulnerable groups facing crises due to COVID-19.

First, on the 4th, the government completed the lump-sum cash payment of emergency disaster relief funds to about 22,000 households receiving livelihood benefits, basic pensions, and disability pensions. This support, worth approximately 10 billion KRW, was paid in cash exceptionally to vulnerable groups who are priority recipients by utilizing welfare system data without a separate application process.

The support amount was provided per household as follows: 400,000 KRW for one-person households, 600,000 KRW for two-person households, 800,000 KRW for three-person households, and 1,000,000 KRW for households of four or more. Additionally, a separate “visiting application” service was conducted for elderly and disabled residents with mobility difficulties who are not benefit recipients, ensuring thorough efforts to minimize COVID-19 damage to vulnerable groups.

Also, through the temporary livelihood support project, rechargeable prepaid cards (consumption coupons) are distributed to vulnerable groups. With a total project budget of 9.514 billion KRW, as of April 2020, 15,402 households receiving basic livelihood security and lower-income groups totaling 20,304 people are targeted, with differentiated payments based on social security benefit qualifications and household size.

The support amount for a five-person household is 1,660,000 KRW for livelihood and medical benefit recipients, and 1,280,000 KRW for housing and education benefit recipients and lower-income groups. Currently, about 93% of all eligible recipients have been paid, and payments to unpaid and newly designated recipients will be completed promptly.

Alongside this, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s emergency disaster living expense support project is also underway. With a total budget exceeding 22 billion KRW, about 81,000 households with median income at or below 100% are targeted, providing 300,000 KRW for 1-2 person households, 400,000 KRW for 3-4 person households, and 500,000 KRW for households of five or more in the form of Gwanak Love gift certificates or prepaid cards.

Applications can be made until May 15 through the Seoul Welfare Portal (wiss.seoul.go.kr) or local community centers. To facilitate smooth processing, applications must follow a 5-day rotation system based on the last digit of the birth year, similar to the public mask distribution system. The received gift certificates and prepaid cards must be used by the end of August, and usage is restricted at large supermarkets, department stores, and online shopping malls.

Childcare coupons are also provided to reduce the economic burden on households raising children. With a budget of 6.439 billion KRW, as of March 2020, about 16,000 children under the age of seven who are recipients of child allowances are targeted, receiving electronic gift certificates (care points) worth 400,000 KRW per child.

Guardians holding the I Happy Card or National Happiness Card have received payments without a separate application process. For guardians with card errors or those without cards, gift cards are issued upon application.

Support is also extended to residents hospitalized or under self-quarantine due to COVID-19. For residents classified as contacts who completed hospitalization or self-quarantine, COVID-19 related living support funds have been paid, totaling 41.8 million KRW across 418 cases, with 454,900 KRW per individual and 1,457,600 KRW for five-person households.

Additionally, through Seoul-type emergency welfare support related to COVID-19, all self-quarantine subjects receive approximately 100,000 KRW worth of daily necessities or cash per household. So far, about 18 million KRW worth of in-kind support across 1,130 cases and about 8.12 million KRW in cash across 812 cases have been provided.

For those facing sudden crises such as business suspension, closure, or unemployment due to COVID-19, households with median income at 85% or below receive up to 1,000,000 KRW in living expenses depending on household size. A total of 198 cases amounting to 77.8 million KRW have been paid, demonstrating various efforts to support vulnerable groups in blind spots of quarantine measures.

Mayor Park Junhee stated, “I hope that the various emergency support projects will help the household economy of residents facing crises due to COVID-19. With the recent transition to social distancing in daily life, we will do our best to create a new normal by ensuring residents’ daily life and economic activities, promoting life quarantine and quarantine guideline awareness.”

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