Geumcheon-gu Supports Foreign Residents with 'Emergency Disaster Living Expenses (300,000~500,000 KRW)'

Foreigners Eligible for Legal Employment and Profit Activities... 'Prepaid Cards' Provided to Those Below 100% Median Income... Payments Range from 300,000 to 500,000 KRW Depending on Household Size

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) will begin accepting online applications from the 31st to provide "emergency disaster living expenses" to foreign residents as well.

This support is a measure adopted in response to the National Human Rights Commission's recommendation that Seoul City provide emergency disaster living expenses to foreign residents who are experiencing hardships similar to those of Korean nationals due to COVID-19, to prevent "infringement of equality rights caused by unreasonable discrimination."

The eligible recipients are foreign residents who have been registered (reported residence) in Seoul for more than 90 days as of August 27 and hold a residence status that legally allows employment or profit-making activities in Korea.

The income criteria and support amounts are applied the same as the "emergency disaster living expenses" provided to Korean citizens in March. Applicants must have an income at or below 100% of the median income (excluding general and financial assets), and will receive between 300,000 KRW and up to 500,000 KRW depending on household size.

Applications for emergency disaster living expenses for foreign residents can be made through two methods: online and in-person.

Online applications can be submitted anytime without time restrictions from August 31 to September 25 on the "Seoul City Foreign Residents Emergency Disaster Living Expenses Support" website.

To assist foreign residents who cannot apply online from home or have difficulty applying, Geumcheon Global Village Center, Geumcheon-gu Healthy Family Multicultural Family Support Center, and Geumcheon Foreign Workers Center will serve as online application support centers.

When visiting an online application support center for consultation and application assistance, a 5-day rotation system based on the last digit of the birth year will be applied.

Additionally, a 17-language integrated consultation call center will provide applicants with easy inquiries and consultations in their native languages.

In-person applications will be accepted for two weeks from September 14 to 25. Foreign residents living in Gasan-dong and Doksan-dong of Geumcheon-gu can apply at the Geumcheon Global Village Center (116 Gasan-ro, 3rd floor), and those in Siheung-dong can apply at the Geumcheon-gu Healthy Family Multicultural Family Support Center (40 Geumha-ro 11-gil). To prevent COVID-19 infection and spread, a weekday 5-day rotation system based on the last digit of the birth year will be applied, and weekends are closed.

Decisions on the payment of emergency disaster living expenses will be made two weeks after the application date, and individual notifications will be sent via text message to each eligible recipient.

The payment method will be a single form of "prepaid card" for easy use by foreign residents, which can be collected at the in-person application centers. The card's usage period is until December 15 of this year and can be used throughout Seoul.

Applicants must download the application form from the disaster support fund application website or the Geumcheon-gu Office website, fill it out, and submit it along with the consent form for collection, use, and provision of personal information, health insurance qualification verification, and certificate of foreign registration.

If the applicant is not enrolled in health insurance and cannot submit the health insurance qualification verification, the reason must be clearly stated.

For more details, inquiries can be made to the dedicated call center for foreign residents' emergency disaster living expenses.

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