Emergency Living Support Funds to Be Provided to 2.27 Million Low-Income Households Starting from the 24th

Relief of Living Expenses Due to Recent Price Increases
Up to 1 Million Won for Single-Person Households

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The government will provide emergency living support funds to low-income households starting from the 24th.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 20th that it has decided to provide temporary emergency living support funds to alleviate the living burdens of low-income households caused by rapidly rising prices and to increase their consumption capacity.

The support funds will be given to a total of 2.27 million households, including 1.79 million basic livelihood security recipients, approximately 480,000 households in the legally designated near-poverty class, and single-parent households receiving child-rearing support. The Ministry explained that considering the purpose of this support fund, limited fiscal conditions, and the need to form national consensus, the target was limited to those with income below 50% of the median income.

The amount of support varies depending on eligibility and household size. Single-person households can receive up to 400,000 KRW, and four-person households can receive up to 1,000,000 KRW. Recipients in welfare facilities will receive 200,000 KRW per person.

Without a separate application, recipients can visit their local eup, myeon, or dong community service centers to receive the support funds in the form of prepaid cards from card companies or local currency. Since this support fund is a project promoted to ease the burden caused by rapid price increases, it will be provided in card form rather than cash to restrict use in certain sectors such as entertainment and leisure. The usage period is until December 31 of this year.

Payments will begin on the 24th in 73 local governments including Busan, Daegu, and Sejong, and from the 27th in 95 local governments including Seoul, Daejeon, Ulsan, and Jeju. The remaining local governments are also expected to start support within this month.

Gwak Sook-young, Director of Welfare Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "We will do our best to promptly and accurately provide the temporary emergency living support funds to low-income households to help those who are experiencing difficulties in their daily lives due to recent price increases."

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