Government and Local Governments Discuss Plans to Promote 'Customized Emergency Disaster Relief' Package

Emergency Policy Council Meeting Held for Comprehensive Measures to Recover from COVID-19 Economic Impact

Jinyoung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is presiding over a video conference with central government ministries and deputy heads of 17 cities and provinces on the 1st at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Government Sejong 2 Complex, preparing for the approach of Typhoon No. 9 'Maysak'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] To provide tailored emergency disaster support for small business owners, low-income groups, and vulnerable employment sectors who have been severely affected by the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), related ministries and local governments are joining forces.

On the afternoon of the 15th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety held a "Central-Local Policy Council on Comprehensive Emergency Livelihood and Economic Measures" via a non-face-to-face video conference at the Government Seoul Office, discussing plans to promote a tailored emergency disaster support package to assist small business owners, crisis households, and children together with related ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and vice heads of 17 cities and provinces.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups decided to provide Saehopeum funds ranging from 1 million to 2 million KRW and a 500,000 KRW re-challenge incentive payment depending on the damage status to stabilize management and support the recovery of small business owners struggling due to the COVID-19 resurgence. To ensure prompt disbursement of support funds, they requested active cooperation from local governments in submitting and verifying lists of small business owners subject to business suspension or restrictions, as well as lending educational spaces for the recovery of locally closed small businesses.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will provide emergency livelihood support (1 million KRW for a four-person household) for crisis households whose income has decreased due to unemployment, temporary closure, or business suspension, and a special childcare support fund (200,000 KRW per child) to alleviate the increased childcare burden caused by COVID-19. To this end, they requested local governments to actively promote emergency livelihood support for crisis households and urged them to prepare rapid execution plans to enable child allowances to be paid before Chuseok.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety conveyed the main contents of the "Chuseok Livelihood Stability Measures" to local governments, requesting each local government to establish detailed action plans suited to their regional circumstances and to strive for livelihood stability during the holiday. This measure focuses on expanding the supply of 16 key seasonal products such as pears, pork, and pollock to 1.3 times the normal level and creating 300,000 jobs through the Hope Work Project, thereby strengthening the livelihood foundation and supporting economic damage and recovery.

Additionally, to prepare for COVID-19 cluster infections during the holiday period, screening clinics and more than 40 infectious disease-dedicated hospitals nationwide will operate continuously, and a 24-hour government-wide situation management system centered on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room will be established and operated.

Minister Jin Young of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety emphasized, "Active cooperation from local governments is necessary to ensure that the comprehensive livelihood and economic measures are swiftly implemented before the Chuseok holiday to contribute to livelihood stability," and added, "Please prepare thoroughly to ensure a safe holiday without a resurgence of COVID-19."

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