Large Families Discriminated Against by the Government Emergency Disaster Relief Fund

100,000 Won for a 4-Person Household... Around 160,000 Won Per Person in a 6-Person Household

"Criticism That 'Pro-Natalist Policies' Are Going Against the Low Birthrate and Aging Society"

The government's temporary support program to overcome the COVID-19 crisis, the 'Emergency Disaster Relief Fund,' has begun accepting applications, but the maximum support amount is capped for families of four or more, causing considerable dissatisfaction among large households.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] #1. A (54), residing in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, feels displeased while applying for the ‘Emergency Disaster Relief Fund.’ This is due to the government’s policy that provides 1 million won for households of four or more members, despite A’s household consisting of six people including four children and his wife.

A stated, “The government encourages childbirth, but in this support, multi-child families are actually being discriminated against.”

#2. B (45) lives with his parents and has two children. Although the household consists of six members, the ‘Emergency Disaster Relief Fund’ provided by the government to all citizens only grants the 1 million won amount designated for four-person households.

B expressed, “I appreciate the government’s support. But does this mean the other two members beyond four are not recognized by the country?” and lamented, “It is ironic that the benefits decrease as the number of household members increases.”

Since the 11th, applications for the government’s temporary support system to overcome the COVID-19 crisis, the ‘Emergency Disaster Relief Fund,’ have begun, but the maximum support amount is capped at households of four or more, causing considerable dissatisfaction among large families.

Especially, as both local governments and the central government promote childbirth, setting the maximum household size at four contradicts these policies, critics argue.

The government decided to provide the ‘Disaster Relief Fund’ to all citizens regardless of income or assets to stabilize citizens’ lives and support economic recovery amid the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

However, in reality, the payment is made on a ‘household’ basis, not to every individual.

The Emergency Disaster Relief Fund amounts are 400,000 won for one-person households, 600,000 won for two-person households, 800,000 won for three-person households, and 1 million won for households of four or more. Ironically, the more members in a household, the less the amount received per person.

The amount per member is 300,000 won for two-person households, about 270,000 won for three-person households, 250,000 won for four-person households, and approximately 166,666 won per person for six-person households.

Some citizens point out that this system contradicts the government’s childbirth promotion policies in an era of low birth rates and aging population, where fewer children are being born across society.

An official from a district in Gwangju said, “Nowadays, having three children is considered a lot, but when accepting applications for multi-child scholarships, families with four or five children often push out those with three children, causing frequent exclusions,” and expressed regret, “If the support is for all citizens, the criteria should have been set on an individual basis regardless of household size from the start.”

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