Daegu City, Special Protection Measures for Homeless and Ssokbang Residents... From Living Expenses to Self-Support Jobs

On June 3rd, when the daytime high temperature in Daegu rose to 30 degrees Celsius, showing early summer weather, the artificial waterfall near Ayanggyo Bridge in Dong-gu.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] Daegu City announced on the 8th that it has joined forces with the Daegu branch of the Korean Red Cross and Korea Railroad Corporation to establish special protection measures to prevent COVID-19 infection and overcome the heatwave for vulnerable groups such as homeless people and those living in jjokbang (small, cramped rooms).

With the support of the Daegu branch of the Red Cross, Daegu City plans to provide 60 million KRW to the Homeless Comprehensive Support Center and 200 million KRW to the Jjokbang Counseling Center, while continuously monitoring the health of those in crisis due to COVID-19. The Homeless Comprehensive Support Center will secure additional spaces beyond the homeless heatwave shelters to prevent heat damage and provide lunch boxes to homeless people who cannot use free meal services due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

In the case of the Jjokbang Counseling Center, a one-time housing support of 400,000 KRW will be provided to about 30 daily wage workers who are non-beneficiaries and have fallen behind on monthly rent due to job loss caused by the spread of infectious diseases. About 70 jjokbang residents who are unidentified or unable to receive public support and are struggling to make a living will receive 500,000 KRW per month for three months as living expenses. Especially in preparation for this summer, when extreme heat is expected, about 50 jjokbang residents aged 65 or older with underlying health conditions will be provided with residences equipped with air conditioning for two months.

Separately, Daegu City signed a business agreement on the 9th with Korea Railroad Corporation Daegu Station and the Homeless Comprehensive Support Center to support self-sufficiency and social reintegration for street homeless people, providing jobs such as cleaning around the station for six months from June to December. In addition, to prepare for a resurgence of COVID-19, Daegu City established management and response procedures and measures to prevent infection among homeless people and jjokbang residents, including installing acrylic partitions in five facilities, supplying non-contact thermometers, stockpiling 50,000 masks and 4,000 hand sanitizers.

Kim Jae-dong, Director of the Health and Welfare Bureau of Daegu City, said, "This summer, with COVID-19 and the heatwave, the lives of the most vulnerable groups in our society, such as homeless people and jjokbang residents, are expected to become even more difficult. We will actively carry out various and effective welfare projects in cooperation with the private sector so that these individuals can spend the summer healthily and eventually become self-reliant."

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