Gwanak-gu Implements Customized Policies to Overcome COVID-19 Crisis, Including Issuance of Local Love Gift Certificates

Ahead of Chuseok Holiday, 5 Billion Won Additional Issuance of Gwanak Sarang Gift Certificates, 7% Ongoing Discount Benefit... Non-Face-to-Face Welfare Services Using Phone, IoT, SNS Instead of Direct Visits

Scene of using Gwanak Love Gift Certificate

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is implementing customized policies to revitalize the local economy, which has been stagnated due to COVID-19, and to support vulnerable groups in welfare blind spots.

First, the district will issue an additional 5 billion KRW worth of Gwanak Love Gift Certificates starting from 10 a.m. on the 22nd. This is the 4th issuance following the 1st issuance of 10 billion KRW, the 2nd issuance of 1.5 billion KRW, and the 3rd issuance of 6.5 billion KRW, bringing the total issuance amount in Gwanak-gu to 23 billion KRW.

The Gwanak Love Gift Certificates can be purchased at a 7% discount up to 700,000 KRW per month and can be used at 10,042 Zero Pay affiliated stores within Gwanak-gu.

To promote rapid consumption, the district is providing additional benefits at the time of payment. Until October, consumers who pay with gift certificates worth 10,000 KRW or more will be entered into a random drawing to win prizes worth approximately 3.5 million KRW per week, and a 30% income deduction benefit for year-end tax settlement is also supported.

Also, by ordering through the low commission and high consumer benefit platform ‘Zero Delivery’ and paying with Gwanak Love Gift Certificates, consumers can enjoy an additional 10% discount.

Previously, the 3rd issuance of 6.5 billion KRW issued in July was sold out within three days, and all 18 billion KRW issued over three rounds have been completely sold out, contributing to the revitalization of the local economy with strong support from residents.

Along with this, the district is also focusing on providing on-tact (online contact) welfare services such as phone counseling and IoT-based care services for vulnerable groups who cannot receive welfare services due to COVID-19.

This is to proactively and preemptively respond to crisis situations that may arise among vulnerable groups unable to receive welfare services due to COVID-19.

The district has converted all welfare planner visits at community service centers to phone counseling. As of August, a total of 15,816 phone consultations have been conducted, a 219% increase compared to the previous year. For vulnerable groups in crisis, welfare planners check their health and well-being through video calls as well as phone counseling.

Welfare services utilizing IoT are also playing a significant role. 210 middle-aged and older adults at high risk of solitary death have been selected, and IoT smart plugs have been installed. If there is no change in electricity usage for 50 hours, the system automatically connects to the community center in real time to check on their status.

Additionally, 322 elderly people with mobility difficulties have been equipped with IoT health and safety solutions that monitor movement and temperature, allowing real-time welfare checks. The project will be further expanded by the end of 2020, with plans to install devices in an additional 212 households.

The ‘Tongtong Line’ project using the internal administrative network Saeol Administration System is also underway. Monthly text messages are sent four times to 2,851 high-risk households, including elderly living alone and severely disabled individuals. If messages are not received more than twice, welfare planners visit directly to respond immediately to crisis situations.

Furthermore, through ‘Together Welfare Talk’ using KakaoTalk, non-face-to-face welfare counseling is provided anytime and anywhere to residents in need, and reports of neighbors in difficulty are also accepted. Various non-face-to-face projects are being implemented to thoroughly address welfare blind spots caused by COVID-19.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “We are implementing various customized policies to revitalize the local economy, which has been stagnated due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, and to support vulnerable groups in welfare blind spots. We will continue to treat the difficulties of residents as our own and mobilize all administrative power to do our best to resolve the crisis caused by COVID-19.”

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