Seocho-gu Launches Special Support for Homeless People Ahead of Lunar New Year

[Seoul District News] Seocho-gu Operates Mobile Team During Lunar New Year Holiday (1.29~2.2) to Ensure Warmth and Safety for Homeless; Special Mobile Teams of 4 Members in 2 Groups Patrol Areas Including Express Bus Terminal Station to Check Health and Guide Free Meal Services; Provides Lunar New Year Packages Containing Winter Supplies, Holiday Food, and Quarantine Items to Street Homeless... Dongjak-gu Expands ‘Middle-aged Single-person Household Welfare and Health Food & Beverage Support Project’ to All Neighborhoods

Special Task Force Activities

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seocho-gu operated a special task force for the homeless in the area from January 29 to February 2 during this year's Lunar New Year holiday period to ensure that homeless people could spend the holiday warmly and safely.

The district's special task force, composed of two teams with four members, focused on continuous patrols in areas where homeless people gather, such as near Express Bus Terminal Station and Gangnam Station, and also delivered Lunar New Year relief supplies to them.

First, the task force checked the health status of homeless people through patrols and established a system to urgently transport those in crisis to hospitals in cooperation with local police stations and fire stations. Additionally, homeless people facing food shortages were guided to the "Warm Filling Center" (near Seoul Station), which provides free meals during the Lunar New Year period, to ensure they do not miss meals.

Along with this, the task force provided street homeless people with Lunar New Year packages containing winter supplies such as gloves, socks, and heat packs; holiday foods like Hangwa and rice cakes; quarantine supplies such as masks and hand sanitizers; and toiletries.

Im Hyun-jung, Director of the Social Welfare Division, said, "We will spare no effort to support homeless people so that they do not feel alone and can spend a warm holiday during the Lunar New Year period."

Due to the winter cold wave and economic difficulties caused by COVID-19, feelings of depression have increased, and there have been many cases of residents refusing home visits by welfare planners at community service centers, deepening psychological and social isolation.

Accordingly, Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) announced on the 27th that it will expand the "Check-in and Health Food & Beverage Support Project for Middle-aged Single-person Households" to all neighborhoods starting in February, focusing on middle-aged single-person households (ages 50-64), a high-risk group for unnoticed solitary deaths, as well as single-person households in general.

This project targets about 1,630 low-income single elderly households aged 50 and above who are at risk of solitary death and those with rare, intractable severe diseases requiring dietary control. It aims to minimize welfare blind spots by providing health drinks (fermented milk) and nutritional meals while conducting regular check-ins.

In particular, the project prioritizes identifying socially isolated households due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and those who refuse or avoid existing welfare services. Despite the urgent need for external support, the district strives to build a more robust safety net through more active communication with residents who chronically refuse welfare.

Through the regular delivery of health drinks, the process quickly detects long-term absences, hospitalizations, or risky situations of the recipients, connects them to the community service center for welfare checks, and links them to services that meet their welfare needs.

Along with the expansion of this project, a welfare service guide leaflet for single-person households will be produced to raise awareness among neighbors facing loneliness and to thoroughly manage and prevent further social issues related to isolation.

Additionally, the district operates ▲ neighborhood care teams, ▲ supports IoT smart care plugs, and provides customized services for high-risk groups of solitary death, such as ▲ checking for suspension of electricity, water, and gas supply, and ▲ verifying arrears in housing costs, illnesses, or disabilities, playing a role in preventing solitary deaths among single-person households.

Park Mi-young, Director of Welfare Policy Division, stated, "As the proportion of single-person households rapidly increases, solitary death has emerged as a serious social issue. We aim to achieve zero solitary deaths and create a comfortable and happy Dongjak for all."

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