Pohang City Eliminates Blind Spots in Welfare for Disabled... Promotes Comprehensive Welfare Services for Disabled

Income Support for Low-Income Mildly Disabled, Increase in Disability Allowance, Application Possible Regardless of Address

Strengthening Disability Activity Support and Daytime Activity Services to Reduce Care Burden for Disabled

The "43rd White Cane Day Commemorative Gyeongbuk Welfare Festival for the Visually Impaired," held in October last year.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Pohang City will actively promote substantial welfare policies for the disabled by investing 93 billion KRW in the disability welfare budget this year, an increase of 14 billion KRW compared to last year, to support the healthy independent living of people with disabilities and their families.

Disability allowances have been increased by 50% starting this year, from 40,000 KRW to 60,000 KRW per month for home-based disabled individuals, and from 20,000 KRW to 30,000 KRW per month for facility-based disabled individuals, strengthening income support for low-income persons with mild disabilities. In particular, from this year, applications for disability (child) allowances can be made at all eup, myeon, and dong offices regardless of the applicant’s address.

Additionally, the scope of service recipients has been expanded from this year to include disabled persons under 65 years old who are using long-term care services under the Long-Term Care Insurance Act for elderly diseases, allowing them to receive activity support services.

The disability activity support project is a system that provides activity support benefits to improve the quality of life for disabled individuals who have difficulty performing daily and social activities alone due to physical or mental disabilities, thereby supporting their independent living.

With the expansion of eligible recipients, disabled persons under 65 years old receiving long-term care for elderly diseases can continue to use long-term care services while also receiving activity support services.

Daytime activity services will also be strengthened to guarantee meaningful daytime hours and support independent living for adults with developmental disabilities.

The basic type of daytime activity service has been extended from 125 hours to 132 hours per month, and the extended type from 165 hours to 176 hours per month. The number of daytime activity service providers will also increase from three to four locations.

After-school activity service hours for adolescents with developmental disabilities will be expanded by 50%, from 44 hours to 66 hours per month, and 24-hour activity support services will be provided for 15 individuals to establish a continuous care system for persons with severe disabilities.

The duration of the job project, which is independently conducted every year, will be extended from nine months to ten months to provide jobs for disabled persons who are vulnerable to employment, thereby expanding social participation and supporting the activation of independent living through income security.

In addition, the city will invest 270 million KRW this year to conduct a comprehensive survey of convenience facilities for the disabled within the region to secure accessibility and mobility rights for persons with disabilities.

The convenience facility survey is a legally mandated investigation conducted every five years, which inspects the status of convenience facilities installed in 5,300 buildings such as parks, public buildings, public use facilities, and apartment complexes. The collected data will be used as basic information to assess accessibility for the disabled.

Jo Hak-rae, Director of the Senior and Disabled Welfare Division, stated, “We will actively promote disability welfare projects to improve the quality of life for disabled persons who need care,” and added, “We will strive to reduce the caregiving burden on persons with disabilities and their families and eliminate blind spots in disability welfare.”

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