Seoul City Provides Monthly 'Living Support Fund' of 100,000 KRW to Democratic Movement Participants and Their Families

Funeral Expenses of 1 Million Won for Bereaved Families Upon Death... Applications Accepted at Local Community Centers Starting July 1

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will establish a new "living support fund" of 100,000 KRW per month for democratization activists and their bereaved families who dedicated themselves to democratization, starting payments from next month. In the event of the death of a democratization activist, a funeral support fund of 1,000,000 KRW will also be provided.

On the 29th, Seoul announced that it will begin livelihood support for democratization activists and their families based on these details. The city explained that this support measure was prepared as a minimum form of respect to repay the dedication of democratization activists who sacrificed for the country and contributed to national development.

To this end, the city enacted the "Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Respect and Support for Democratization Activists" in July last year, clearly defining the support targets and contents.

The support targets are democratization activists and their bereaved families who have their resident registration in Seoul as of the application date, have continuously resided for more than six months, and belong to households with a monthly income at or below 100% of the median income standard.

The living support fund is primarily paid to the democratization activist themselves, and in case of their death, it is paid to one of the bereaved family members according to the inheritance order under civil law. The funeral expenses are paid to one of the bereaved family members or the person who actually conducts the funeral when the recipient of the living support fund passes away.

However, those who are already receiving living support funds under other laws related to democratization activists, such as the "Act on the Honorable Treatment and Support of Persons of Distinguished Service to the State" and the "Act on Compensation for Persons Related to the May 18 Democratization Movement," are excluded from the support targets.

Applications can be made anytime from July 1 by visiting the local community service center in the applicant's residential jurisdiction. The eligibility for payment can be confirmed within 20 days after application (within 10 days for funeral expenses). The living support fund is paid at the end of each month, and funeral expenses are paid within 15 days after application.

Previously, Seoul established a monthly "living allowance" of 100,000 KRW for low-income national merit recipients in 2017, and in March this year, a monthly "independence merit living support allowance" of 200,000 KRW for descendants of independence activists who sacrificed and dedicated themselves to national independence.

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