Seoul City Supports Meals for Vulnerable Groups During Seol Holiday... Extends Last Public Transportation Service

'2024 Seol Comprehensive Measures' to be Implemented from 8th to 13th

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will provide free meals and lunchboxes to vulnerable groups during the Lunar New Year holiday period to ensure they do not skip meals, and will extend the last train times for public transportation.

On the 1st, Seoul announced that it will implement the "2024 Lunar New Year Comprehensive Measures" from the 8th to the 13th, aiming for thorough public care without blind spots. Seoul has established five task forces covering disaster, transportation, medical care, prices, and snow removal, and set up a 24-hour comprehensive situation room on the first floor of Seoul City Hall to promptly respond to emergencies occurring during the holiday period.

First, during the holiday, meals will be provided for children at risk of food insecurity, homeless people, low-income seniors, and family care youth. Children at risk of food insecurity will receive meals at group meal centers and regular restaurants affiliated with the Kkum Namu Card, and if there are no meal centers or restaurants in the area, processed ready-to-eat foods will be delivered. Family care youth will receive two sets of meal kits per day during the holiday in cooperation with the Seoul Social Welfare Association.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At 35 homeless shelters, the usual two meals per day of free meals will be increased to three meals per day. Low-income seniors will receive free meals along with a special Lunar New Year meal allowance of 4,000 KRW per meal, and additional delivery of lunchboxes and side dishes.

Basic livelihood security households will receive 30,000 KRW per household as a consolation payment. This year’s support target is about 234,000 households, an increase of approximately 14,000 households compared to last year. For 3,070 seniors and disabled persons residing in facilities, 10,000 KRW per person will be provided as a consolation payment.

To reduce the burden of grocery shopping, the transaction volume of nine major seasonal products such as apples, pears, onions, and yellow croaker will be expanded. Seoul plans to supply seasonal products at about 105% of the average transaction volume over the past three years. In addition, 250 million KRW in project funds will be subsidized to market merchant associations to hold discount events and other activities at traditional markets.

For the convenience of returning and departing travelers, additional express and intercity buses departing from Seoul will operate from the 8th to the 13th, including before and after the Lunar New Year holiday. On the holiday itself and the following two days, the 10th and 11th, subway and bus last train times will be extended. The last trains on lines 1 to 9, the Ui-Sinseol Line, and the Sillim Line will arrive at their terminal stations at 2 a.m. the next day, with 236 additional runs over the two days. City buses will also have adjusted schedules during the same period so that the last buses heading toward terminal stations at Seoul Station and two other terminals, including the express bus terminal, will pass through until 2 a.m. the next day.

During the holiday period when it is difficult to dispose of garbage, a joint public-private cleaning campaign will be conducted on the 7th and 8th to minimize inconvenience caused by household waste and maintain cleanliness. During the holiday, environmental officers and patrol teams will monitor areas prone to illegal dumping. From the 13th, after the holiday ends, all cleaning personnel and equipment will be mobilized to collect accumulated garbage and complete cleaning. Garbage disposal days by district can be checked on the Seoul city website under "Lunar New Year Holiday Comprehensive Information."

To ensure medical response during the holiday, 49 emergency medical institutions and 18 hospitals with emergency rooms will operate 24 hours. Seoul has designated and will operate about 2,000 clinics and pharmacies that remain open. In particular, to prevent situations where pediatric patients cannot access emergency rooms, eight "Our Child Safe Hospitals" for mild to semi-emergency patients and three "Our Child Specialized Emergency Centers" for severe and emergency patients will be operated during the Lunar New Year holiday.

To prevent safety accidents such as fires, the Disaster Safety Situation Room will also operate 24 hours. All fire stations will conduct special alert duty.

Kim Jong-su, Seoul’s Policy Planning Officer, said, "We are working closely with public and private sectors to prepare thoroughly so that all Seoul citizens can have a comfortable and warm Lunar New Year holiday. We will take extra care of vulnerable groups and do our best to implement this comprehensive plan to ensure no inconvenience to citizens’ lives."

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