Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, On-Site Management Yields Results in Easing Eligibility for Senior Welfare Housing Residents

Request to Relax Criteria for Children and Grandchildren Supported by Residents
Ministry of Health and Welfare to Amend Senior Welfare Act... Effective April 3

The efforts of Lee Sang-il, mayor of Yongin City, who proposed institutional improvements for senior welfare housing to the government, have borne fruit through a legal amendment.

According to Yongin City on the 9th, the amendment to the 'Senior Welfare Act' containing the proposal to 'ease the eligibility criteria for admission to senior welfare housing,' which Mayor Lee submitted to the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year, was recently passed and will take effect from April 3.

The amended law relaxed the discharge criteria for children and grandchildren living with the senior welfare housing residents from 19 years old to 24 years old. Additionally, children and grandchildren recognized as having 'disabilities defined by the Ministry of Health and Welfare' can continue to live in senior welfare housing even if they are over 24 years old.

Earlier, in October last year, Mayor Lee met with Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, emphasizing the need for legal amendments by stating, "The regulations regarding eligibility for admission to senior welfare housing do not reflect reality and cause inconvenience to the public."

At that time, Mayor Lee proposed through documents that "According to current law, unmarried children and grandchildren over 19 years old who are dependents of seniors requiring care in senior welfare housing must leave, which poses a problem," and suggested that "a prompt legal amendment should be pursued to expand the admission eligibility and postpone discharge criteria for children and grandchildren of seniors requiring family care in senior welfare housing."

Subsequently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare pushed forward with the legal amendment including these measures, leading to the promulgation of the amended law earlier this month. The revised Senior Welfare Act will be enforced starting April 3.

Mayor Lee said, "It is fortunate that the legal amendment will reduce the housing burden for seniors admitted to senior welfare housing and create an environment where their children and grandchildren can live without worry."

Currently, Yongin City has 1,898 units of senior welfare housing, including 'Samsung Noble County' in Hagal-dong, Giheung-gu, and 'Spring County Xi' in Jung-dong, Giheung-gu, with about 3,000 residents living there.

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