Temporary Relaxation of Criteria for Up to 3 Million KRW 'Seoul-type Emergency Welfare' Until Year-End

Threshold Median Income Raised from 85% to 100%, Property Limit Lowered from 257 Million to 326 Million Won
Applications Allowed Immediately from Business Closure or Job Loss Date... New Inclusion of Special Types and Freelancers like Haksubji Teachers

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 29th that it will temporarily relax income and property criteria and support conditions such as crisis reasons until the end of the year so that citizens facing crisis situations due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic can receive 'Seoul-type Emergency Welfare' support.

Seoul-type Emergency Welfare is a system that provides customized support of up to 3 million KRW for living expenses, medical expenses, housing costs, etc., to low-income crisis households struggling due to accidents, unemployment, business suspension or closure, helping them maintain a stable life. The main targets include residents of rooftop rooms, goshiwon, and jjokbangchon, households at risk of solitary death, low-income elderly living alone, and patients with heat-related illnesses caused by heatwaves.

Living expenses are supported from 300,000 KRW up to a maximum of 1 million KRW depending on the number of household members. Housing and medical expenses are supported up to 1 million KRW each regardless of the number of household members, and other expenses such as education costs, fuel costs, and electricity bills are also supported.

The city first decided to relax the income criteria from the existing standard median income of 85% or less to 100% or less. For a four-person household, the monthly income limit was expanded from 3,921,506 KRW to 4,749,174 KRW, and the property criteria were lowered from 257 million KRW or less to 326 million KRW or less.

The 'crisis reason' criteria were also relaxed so that support can be provided if at least the minimum criteria are met, considering the crisis situation of individual households comprehensively. The requirement of 'one month elapsed' from the business closure report date or unemployment date was abolished to prevent cases where those who closed their business or lost their job due to COVID-19 could not receive support immediately. Cases where the main or secondary income earner loses income due to unpaid leave, and cases where the main or secondary income earner who is a special-type worker or freelancer experiences a sharp decrease in income were newly included as crisis reasons.

This is intended to help citizens who temporarily face difficulties in livelihood due to job loss or business closure in the unprecedented situation of COVID-19, or those in special employment types such as freelancers, private tutors, and door-to-door salespeople.

Seoul-type Emergency Welfare can be applied for at the local community service center of the place of residence at any time. Also, even if one has received Seoul Disaster Emergency Living Expenses and government emergency disaster relief funds, additional support from Seoul-type Emergency Welfare can be received.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of Welfare Policy at Seoul City, said, "As COVID-19 prolongs, the number of citizens suddenly facing crises due to unemployment and business closure is increasing, but there is a blind spot where people cannot receive help because they do not meet existing income and property criteria. We will do our utmost to lower the threshold for Seoul-type Emergency Welfare support temporarily to resolve welfare blind spots and actively respond to the upcoming post-COVID era."

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