Eunpyeong-gu Actively Strengthens Basic Livelihood Security This Year

Strengthening Basic Livelihood Security for Residents to Build a Robust Welfare Safety Net

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) will actively strengthen basic living security this year.

This year, the district announced that it plans to put more effort into strengthening the basic living security of residents facing difficulties due to economic crises or worsening inequality caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, following last year.

The plan is to establish a dense welfare safety net to realize warm welfare for marginalized neighbors.

Earlier, in October last year, following the abolition of the support obligor criteria for the National Basic Livelihood Security livelihood benefits, the district focused on promoting the relaxation of the support obligor criteria system. Through promotional activities, 489 low-income vulnerable households who had not received government support were identified, and livelihood benefits were provided to 606 people, a 63% increase compared to the previous year.

The National Basic Livelihood Security System is a system that provides necessary benefits to people in difficult living conditions to guarantee a minimum standard of living and support self-reliance. Types of benefits include livelihood benefits, medical benefits, housing benefits, education benefits, childbirth and funeral benefits, and self-reliance benefits, and consultations are available to anyone.

The target for livelihood benefit support is households with an income below 30% of the median income. The benefit amount is provided as a supplementary benefit, paying the difference after deducting the recognized income amount per household. However, households with support obligors earning over 100 million KRW annually or possessing assets over 900 million KRW are excluded.

Housing benefits and education benefits do not apply the support obligor system. From this year, if a household with a support obligor includes an elderly person receiving a basic pension, the support obligor criteria for medical benefits will also be abolished.

This year, the selection criteria and payment amount for livelihood benefits have increased by 5.02%. From January, the recognized income amount considered when selecting households has been raised, increasing from 1,462,887 KRW last year to 1,536,324 KRW this year for a four-person household.

The district plans to actively utilize the Eunpyeong-gu Living Security Committee to address welfare blind spots among households that do not meet the selection criteria. The targets are households that find it difficult to maintain their livelihood due to household characteristics or living conditions or those who do not effectively receive support from their support obligors. The district intends to provide active relief for vulnerable groups outside the system and link other welfare systems and services such as Seoul-type basic welfare and emergency welfare support.

Applications for basic living security and detailed information can be consulted at the local community service centers or through the Ministry of Health and Welfare call center.

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