Next Year, Life for Suncheon Citizens Will Change Like This

Published 29 Dec.2022 13:41(KST)

Useful Systems and Policies Published on Si Website

Next Year, Life for Suncheon Citizens Will Change Like This

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seonsik] Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) disclosed the ‘2023 Changed Systems and Policies’ that help citizens’ daily lives on the city website on the 29th.

The changed systems and policies for the new year include 40 items across five fields: ▲Jobs and Economy (7 items) ▲Health and Welfare (14 items) ▲Urban and Administration (7 items) ▲Agriculture and Environment (5 items) ▲Culture and Education (7 items).

In the Jobs and Economy field, the Youth Leap Account will be launched in June next year, providing young people the opportunity to prepare a lump sum of about 50 million KRW by paying 700,000 KRW monthly for five years.

The 2023 minimum hourly wage has increased by 5% compared to 2022, reaching 9,620 KRW.

The hourly wage including weekly holiday allowance is 11,544 KRW, and if working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, the monthly salary becomes 2,010,580 KRW, surpassing 2 million KRW for the first time.

In the welfare field, the childbirth encouragement subsidy has been doubled, bringing good news to parents raising children in Suncheon.

Specialized costs for daycare centers will also be supported with 100,000 KRW annually to reduce the burden on parents.

From next year, the parental allowance (infant allowance) paid monthly to parents of children under 2 years old will increase from the existing 300,000 KRW to 350,000 KRW, and will be significantly expanded to 700,000 KRW monthly for the first year after birth, which is double the previous amount.

The health voucher support, which provides 120,000 KRW annually per person for bathing and hairdressing expenses to maintain dignity for seniors aged 80 or older registered in Suncheon, has expanded its target to include seniors receiving home care services, allowing more seniors to benefit.

Hygiene product purchase costs for severely disabled home care recipients will also be supported up to 50,000 KRW monthly.

In the culture and education field, first-grade elementary school students in the district will receive 100,000 KRW annually per person via local currency cards.

Additionally, a new education voucher support project will be established to cover 50% of tuition fees for academies and private institutes for 150 low-income elementary, middle, and high school students.

The sports class usage voucher support project will increase support from the existing 85,000 KRW monthly to 95,000 KRW monthly to encourage citizens’ physical activities.

In the urban and administration field, although water and sewage fees were increased annually by 2% and 5% respectively from 2020 to 2024, the increase will be postponed in 2023 considering the difficulties of the low-income economy, and the 2022 fees will be applied as is.

Also, water and sewage fee bills can now be received via KakaoTalk, and payment methods will include KakaoPay to enhance convenience for citizens.

In the agriculture and environment field, the requirement for farmland eligible for the basic public interest direct payment project has removed the past direct payment receipt record, resolving blind spots where farmers who met past payment conditions were excluded from receiving payments. The early retirement support for old diesel vehicles has expanded the support target from diesel vehicles with emission grade 5 to those with grades 4 to 5.

A Suncheon city official said, “We will actively promote the newly changed systems and policies in 2023 so that Suncheon citizens can enjoy more benefits,” and added, “We will create a better Suncheon next year through administration that citizens can feel.”