Jinju City to Allocate 37.1 Billion KRW for Disability Welfare Improvement Policies in 2021

18% Increase Compared to Last Year in Care Support, Income and Job Assistance, and Human Rights Enhancement

Jinju City Hall Exterior View

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam announced on the 11th that it has allocated 37.1 billion KRW, an 18% increase compared to the previous year, to promote various customized welfare policies for people with disabilities to support their healthy independent living and that of their families.

Support for care services to maintain daily living has been expanded from the previous age limit of 64 to 65 and older, reducing the caregiving burden on families and supporting the independent living of people with disabilities. Additionally, developmental rehabilitation services for children with disabilities will be provided according to household characteristics and income levels.

Daytime and after-school activity services are provided to ensure activities for adults and adolescents with developmental disabilities and to reduce the caregiving burden on guardians. Support for daytime activity service use will also be strengthened for those with the most severe developmental disabilities.

Income and job support are provided to enhance income security and promote social participation.

To strengthen income security for low-income persons with severe disabilities, the basic disability pension will be increased from 250,000 KRW to 300,000 KRW per month, and additional beneficiaries will be identified and supported.

To promote social participation, the number of jobs for people with disabilities will be expanded from 112 to 131, and wage levels will be increased by 1.8% compared to the previous year.

Starting in April, while maintaining the current 15 types, disability recognition criteria will be established for 10 diseases, including complex regional pain syndrome, for which the need for disability definition has been continuously raised, allowing for expanded registration. An exceptional disability recognition review process will be institutionalized so that cases excluded due to current disability categories and judgment criteria restrictions can be individually reviewed and exceptionally recognized as disabilities.

Jinju Mayor Jo Gyu-il expressed strong determination to improve welfare for people with disabilities, saying, “I feel very sorry that people with disabilities and their families are going through difficult times as their daily social activities are restricted due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work hard to ensure a happy life for people with disabilities by promoting various welfare policies.”

Meanwhile, the city has established institutional foundations to prevent human rights violations such as discrimination and abuse against people with disabilities and to expand their social participation and equality rights through the enactment of the ‘Jinju Mayor’s Ordinance on the Promotion of Welfare for People with Disabilities’ and the ‘Jinju City Ordinance on the Prohibition of Discrimination and Protection of Human Rights of People with Disabilities.’

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