Ministry of Land and Ministry of Environment Collaborate to Improve Housing Conditions for Vulnerable Groups

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chunhee] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment will collaborate to improve the living conditions of vulnerable groups in the Daegu area, which has been heavily affected by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

On the 30th, the two ministries announced that starting from the 1st of next month, they will jointly conduct a project targeting 100 households in Daegu, combining indoor environment diagnostics and housing renovations by linking the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s "Repair and Maintenance Project for Old Houses of Vulnerable Groups" with the Ministry of Environment’s "Environmental Welfare Service Project."

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s repair and maintenance benefit system has been implemented annually since 2015, targeting 20,000 households each year. It supports housing improvements for households owning old houses with an income below 45% of the median income. The Ministry of Environment’s Environmental Welfare Service Project has been providing indoor environment diagnostics and environmental health consulting to 2,000 vulnerable households annually since 2009 to protect their health. In response to the COVID-19 situation, the two ministries decided to implement a housing environment improvement project that leverages their expertise to create synergy, seeking support measures for vulnerable groups who are more susceptible to environmental diseases such as rhinitis and asthma compared to general households.

The procedure for this project begins with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport selecting 100 pilot households in Daegu with old houses, considering repair items and construction schedules. Then, the Ministry of Environment will conduct diagnostics on harmful indoor environmental factors in these houses, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will carry out housing renovations based on the diagnostic results. Additionally, for households requiring fine dust reduction, the Ministry of Environment plans to support air purifier expenses to further enhance the project’s effectiveness.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Environment believe this collaboration will bring them closer to improving the living conditions of vulnerable groups and plan to continue supporting safe and comfortable housing through ongoing cooperation.

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