Naju-si Supports Senior Centers with Shared Meal Subsidies... Up to 200,000 KRW per Month

Published 05 Oct.2023 11:31(KST)

Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Yoon Byung-tae) announced on the 5th that starting from the 4th quarter of this year, the main and side dish expenses required for communal meals at village senior centers will be increased and supported differentially according to the number of senior center members.

Until now, the communal meal subsidy was a fixed amount of 100,000 KRW per month for all 614 senior centers regardless of the number of members.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae visited the Geumnam-dong heat relief shelter and listened to the elderly residents' concerns. <br>[Photo by Naju City]

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae visited the Geumnam-dong heat relief shelter and listened to the elderly residents' concerns.
[Photo by Naju City]

Because of this, some senior centers with more than 50 members had tight budgets for main and side dish expenses each month, causing difficulties in smoothly supporting meals.

In certain local senior centers, the registered number of members reaches as high as 92.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae promised to realize the communal meal subsidy adjusted to the number of members after listening to the difficulties of the elderly regarding communal meals during on-site inspections of 20 senior centers operating as heatwave shelters in eup, myeon, and dong areas in July and August.

Accordingly, from the 4th quarter of this year, main and side dish expenses will be supported monthly from 100,000 KRW to 200,000 KRW based on the number of members.

If the number of members is 25 or less, 100,000 KRW is provided; if 50 or less, 150,000 KRW; and if 51 or more, 200,000 KRW is paid monthly.

Mayor Yoon said, “There has been a significant difference in the costs used for communal meals at each senior center, so practical support adjusted to the number of members was necessary,” and added, “We hope that the increased support for main and side dish expenses according to the number of members will revitalize communal meals at senior centers and contribute to the healthy dietary life of the elderly.”