'Incheon-type Emergency Welfare' Criteria Relaxed Extended Until September... Living Expenses Support of 1.26 Million Won

Income and Property Criteria: Median Income 100%, Property Below 350 Million KRW

Incheon City Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City has decided to extend the temporary relaxation measures of the 'Incheon-type Emergency Welfare' standards, which provide living expenses and medical expenses support to households in welfare blind spots, until September 30.

The Incheon-type Emergency Welfare is a system that supports customized welfare such as living expenses of 1.26 million KRW (based on a family of four), medical expenses up to 3 million KRW, and housing expenses of 640,000 KRW (based on a family of four) for households struggling to maintain their livelihood due to sudden crisis reasons.

Since April last year, the city has lowered the income and property criteria eligible for the system benefits to 100% or less of the median income and 350 million KRW or less, respectively, to respond to COVID-19. As of last month, more than 5,800 households have benefited.

The original criteria for Incheon-type Emergency Welfare are 85% or less of the median income and a property standard of 188 million KRW. The financial asset criterion of 10 million KRW or less has been maintained.

The city plans to further extend these relaxed selection criteria until September 30 to address income disparities and welfare blind spots among low-income groups caused by income reduction, unemployment, and business closures amid the pandemic crisis.

However, among the existing relaxed criteria, the 'restriction period for re-support due to the same crisis reason' will be changed from the existing 3 months to 6 months.

An official from Incheon City stated, "The Incheon-type Emergency Welfare serves as the last income safety net for citizens outside the system," and added, "We will extend the relaxation measures to promptly support citizens who are in urgent need of help."

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