Gwanak-gu Expands Discovery of Welfare Blind Spots, Puts Full Effort into Supporting Single-Person Households

‘2023 Changes in Gwanak Life’ ? A Warm Gwanak Community Embracing Welfare for All

Expanding Discovery of Welfare Blind Spots, Full Support for Single-Person Households, Enrollment in Dedicated Insurance for Electric Mobility Aids and Premium Support, etc.

‘Senior Citizens’ Hall & 50 Plus Center’ and ‘Gwanak Disability Center’ Scheduled for Completion This Year… Continued Promotion of Spatial Welfare

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Starting this year, the median income standard for basic livelihood security for single-person households is raised by 133,080 KRW to 2,077,892 KRW compared to last year, and disability pensions and disability allowances are also increased, strengthening support to guarantee residents’ minimum living standards.

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) has allocated a welfare budget of 553 billion KRW, an increase of 52 billion KRW from 2022, accounting for 56.9% of the total budget, the largest portion, to actively promote welfare policies.

This year, the district plans to actively respond to the increasing welfare demand and spare no effort in supporting the elimination of welfare blind spots. First, it will expand channels to discover households in crisis within welfare blind spots and continuously add services at the Care SOS Center.

The ‘Shintongbangtong Welfare Platform Project,’ where licensed real estate agents identify households in crisis during rental contract consultations, will have about 1,000 agents trained in operational procedures and begin full-scale activities to discover such households.

The Care SOS Center will expand its meal service, which received high satisfaction last year, by increasing porridge service, and will pilot a mobile visiting bath (vehicle) service this year for elderly people with vulnerable housing conditions who cannot use in-home care services.

Additionally, reflecting the district’s characteristic that single-person households account for 61% of all households, Gwanak-gu will put full effort into supporting single-person households.

Park Jun-hee, the mayor of Gwanak-gu, is driving at the electric mobility vehicle exclusive driving practice center.

Centered on the newly established ‘Single-Person Household Support Team,’ a total budget of 13.4 billion KRW will be invested to implement 39 support projects across four areas for single-person households, strengthening and expanding the operation of the ‘Single-Person Household Support Center,’ which has completed remodeling and expanded dedicated personnel.

In particular, support projects to prevent solitary death and isolation among single-person households will continue, such as meal kit support for middle-aged and older single-person households and expanding the number of recipients of IoT smart care services.

Support for people with disabilities will also increase. Last year, the district became the first local government nationwide to open an ‘Electric Mobility Aid Dedicated Driving Practice Ground’ and operates safety education programs for electric mobility aids. Starting this year, to prepare for accidents occurring during the operation of electric mobility aids, the district will support enrollment in dedicated insurance and insurance premiums (15,520 KRW for electric wheelchairs, 65,050 KRW for electric scooters).

Furthermore, to support tourism activities for wheelchair users with disabilities, the district will provide support for disability bus usage costs (up to 500,000 KRW per trip) and build a safety rescue database for vulnerable evacuees including people with disabilities, continuing to support a happy and safe life for people with disabilities.

The district will also actively pursue spatial welfare that embraces all through expanding welfare infrastructure. First, the ‘Senior Citizens’ Hall & 50 Plus Center,’ which supports social participation activities for seniors and middle-aged people before and after retirement, and the complex facility for people with disabilities, the tentatively named ‘Gwanak Disability Center,’ are scheduled for completion this year.

The tentatively named ‘Gwanak Cultural Welfare Town,’ a complex living SOC facility combining a comprehensive social welfare center, sports facilities, and a lifestyle culture center, is also planned to begin construction this year, and the construction of a ‘District-Run Senior Comprehensive Welfare Center’ is underway.

Meanwhile, the selection criteria and standard pension amount for basic pensions for seniors aged 65 and over will be increased, and subsidies for senior centers’ operations will also be raised.

Accordingly, the district will reflect inflation and other factors to realize senior center operating expenses, support the activation of leisure and cultural programs at senior centers, convert district-run senior centers into low-carbon buildings to provide a comfortable living environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create safe senior centers by identifying and removing fire hazards in advance.

Gwanak-gu Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “In 2023, we will do our best to create a ‘warm Gwanak community happy for all’ through detailed welfare policies that embrace everyone.”

Yongsan-gu Department Heads of Probationary Employees Deliver Congratulatory Gifts, etc.

Total of 71 Probationary Employees Scheduled for Confirmation in 2023... 50,000 KRW per Person Delivered to Departments

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Park Hee-young) is leading efforts to improve the ‘probationary employee rice cake’ culture, which burdens new public officials, as part of creating a healthy organizational culture.

Since last year, the district has continued to provide encouragement funds to the departments of the employees who complete their probationary period, encouraging departments to hold congratulatory events. Departments deliver congratulatory items such as gift certificates, cakes, or bouquets to the probationary employees according to their circumstances. The encouragement fund is 50,000 KRW per person.

The Cheongpa-dong Community Service Center prepared gift certificates to support employees who successfully completed the six-month probationary period and were officially appointed.

Cheongpa-dong Director Noh Jeong-ha said, “Officer Heo Ji-hye works closely with senior colleagues and plays a major role in operating the civil complaint window,” and added, “We are grateful to Officer Heo for successfully completing the probation period in Cheongpa-dong, where civil complaint demand is high.”

Probation refers to a set period before a public official candidate is officially appointed. If work performance or training results during the probation period are poor, dismissal can be enforced. The probation period is one year for grade 5 and six months for grade 6 and below.

Among Yongsan-gu employees, a total of 71 employees are scheduled for probation confirmation this year, all at grade 9. Administrative staff (42) are the majority, followed by tax (8), social welfare (7), health (3), cadastral (3), architecture (2), and others (driver, clinical pathology, electricity, civil engineering, chemical engineering, one each). By age, 43 are in their 20s, 25 in their 30s, and 3 in their 40s.

A district official said, “Recently, the number of newly appointed employees in their 20s has steadily increased,” and added, “We will create a reasonable organizational culture so that employees starting their social life in public service can adapt smoothly.”

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