Seoul City to Provide Additional 500,000 Won Support to Special Type Workers and Freelancers

An Additional 500,000 Won Added to Ministry of Employment Subsidies... Support to Overcome Livelihood Crisis for Workers in Blind Spots

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 24th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will provide emergency living expenses of 500,000 KRW in cash to approximately 185,000 "special-type workers (teuksoohyeong geunro jongsaja, teukgo)" and "freelance workers" who have been experiencing prolonged economic difficulties due to COVID-19.

This support will be provided within one week after verifying basic information such as residency requirements, simply by submitting proof of receipt of the "5th Emergency Employment Stability Support Fund" currently being paid by the Ministry of Employment and Labor as of March, without any separate review of income reduction scale. The purpose is to offer practical and swift assistance to special-type and freelance workers facing livelihood crises due to sharp income decreases.

Special-type and freelance workers are laborers who provide services directly to consumers and receive compensation; their mode of labor provision is similar to wage workers, but they are excluded from existing social safety nets such as employment insurance. Therefore, many cannot receive related livelihood support even if their income is cut off due to COVID-19-related unemployment. Eligible recipients are special-type and freelance workers whose registered address is in Seoul as of the announcement date and who have completed receipt of the government's (Ministry of Employment and Labor) "5th Emergency Employment Stability Support Fund" this year. The support amount is 500,000 KRW per person (one-time) paid in cash. However, nine occupations such as insurance planners and delivery drivers, whose employment status and income have recovered to pre-COVID-19 levels or who were not significantly affected by COVID-19, are excluded from this support.

Applications can be completed by those who have received the Ministry of Employment and Labor's 1st to 5th support funds by registering a resident registration abstract and the payment statement of the 5th support fund (issued by the bank) on the "Seoul City Special-type and Freelancer Emergency Living Expenses Application Site" from the 28th to the 22nd of next month. For those who find online application difficult, they can visit designated sites set by autonomous districts with the relevant documents from April 11th to 12th.

Meanwhile, special-type and freelance workers who are applying for the Ministry of Employment and Labor's 5th support fund for the first time (those who did not receive the 1st to 4th support) will be separately informed about the application period and method in May, after the payment of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's support fund for new applicants is completed. To ensure prompt payment, emergency living expenses will be paid continuously in order of application after minimal verification of residency and other details, and applicants will receive text messages at each stage such as application, processing, and completion.

Han Young-hee, Director of Labor, Fairness, and Coexistence Policy, stated, "To provide realistic and substantial help to special-type and freelance workers in crisis, Seoul City has decided to offer additional support in line with the government's 5th support fund payment schedule, minimizing the review process to enable quick payment." She added, "In addition to cash support such as livelihood assistance, we will continuously discover and implement various support measures for special-type and freelance workers who are in the blind spots of labor rights and interests."

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