Extension of 'Seoul-type Emergency Welfare' Standard Relaxation Until December... Up to 3 Million Won Support for Crisis Households

Temporary Relief Measures Extended to December Until June... Income and Asset Criteria Further Extended Until Year-End
Support for Living Expenses, Medical Costs, Housing Costs, etc.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 5th that it will extend the temporary relaxation of the criteria for the 'Seoul-type Emergency Welfare' program until the end of this year. This measure comes from the judgment that the crisis situation, where income is cut off due to job loss or business closure amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, or where special employment workers such as freelancers, private tutors, and door-to-door salespeople temporarily face difficulties in making a living, is likely to continue.

To allow economically vulnerable groups facing a livelihood cliff to receive support from the ‘Seoul-type Emergency Welfare,’ the relaxation of income and property criteria and support conditions such as crisis reasons, which were initially extended from the end of last year to June 30 of this year, will be extended a second time and maintained until the end of December.

Since July last year, Seoul has been relaxing the support criteria for the ‘Seoul-type Emergency Welfare’ to support households affected by the COVID-19 crisis. If the conditions are met, up to 3 million KRW per household is provided. Newly included crisis households under the support conditions will be supported, and households that have already received support can receive additional support within one year if the crisis reason is the same.

The ‘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 facing sudden crisis situations such as accidents, job loss, or business suspension/closure, helping them maintain a stable life. Major targets include residents of rooftop rooms, goshiwon (small dormitory rooms), jjokbangchon (small rooms in poor neighborhoods), households at risk of solitary death, low-income elderly living alone, and patients with heat-related illnesses due to heatwaves. Living expenses are supported from 300,000 KRW 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, fuel, and electricity bills are also supported.

The income criterion has been relaxed from 85% to 100% of the median income, and the property criterion from 257 million KRW to 326 million KRW or less. The requirement of 'one month elapsed' from the date of business closure report or job loss has also been abolished to prevent cases where support is not immediately provided despite business closure or job loss due to COVID-19.

Seoul is focusing support on heatwave-vulnerable groups suffering from the double hardship of COVID-19 and summer heatwaves by providing medical expenses, utility bills, and cooling supplies. Households facing difficulties due to job loss or business suspension/closure caused by the heatwave will receive living expenses or cooling supplies in kind ranging from 300,000 KRW to a maximum of 1 million KRW depending on the number of household members. Vulnerable groups with a heavy medical expense burden due to heat-related illnesses caused by the heatwave will receive medical expense support up to 1 million KRW.

The ‘Seoul-type Emergency Welfare’ can be applied for at the local community service centers in the area of residence at any time. The city sends the budget to each district office, which then supports through the local community service centers. The centers decide on support eligibility after a case review meeting for applicants.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of Welfare Policy at Seoul City, said, “Since July last year, we have lowered the threshold of the ‘Seoul-type Emergency Welfare’ to ensure that citizens suddenly facing crises due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic do not miss out on help because they do not meet the existing income or property criteria. We will extend the relaxation of criteria until the end of this year to make every effort to eliminate welfare blind spots caused by COVID-19 and to lead the livelihood stability of low-income vulnerable groups.”

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