Seongdong-gu Supports Essential Labor Allowances Ahead of Seol Holiday

Expanding Allowance and Support for Essential Workers
in Seongdong-gu: Apartment Complex Managers and Cleaners Newly Included

The district has determined that the employment stability of essential workers is crucial for maintaining social functions steadily even in the face of sudden disasters. Accordingly, starting in 2024, it is providing essential worker allowances of 200,000 to 300,000 KRW per person to essential workers with high public significance and urgent needs for improved treatment.

This year, applications for the essential worker allowance were accepted for two weeks from January 6 to 17. Before the Lunar New Year holiday begins, on January 24, the allowance will be paid to about 1,500 care workers, about 700 disability activity support workers, and 121 village bus drivers.

In particular, from this year, the scope of recipients has been expanded to include apartment complex managers and cleaners, who will receive support covering 50% of their employee health insurance premiums. For apartment complexes, considering that salary systems vary by complex and wages and treatment are low, about 1,200 people are expected to benefit.

The support criteria are set so that the employee health insurance premium corresponding to the income of a single-person household at 120% of the median income according to the 2024 income assessment standard table is 95,183 KRW or less per month.

Since apartment complexes account for 88% of the housing types in Seongdong-gu, which is the majority, it is expected that improving the treatment of apartment complex managers and cleaners will lead to an enhancement of residents' living conditions.

Last year, by paying essential worker allowances to 2,088 care workers and disability activity support workers, and 1,387 village bus drivers, the district provided practical help for livelihood stability and improved treatment.

In particular, the number of village bus drivers increased from 109 in January 2024 to 125 in December of the same year, and the number of village buses in operation increased from 46 to 50, resulting in shortened dispatch intervals and significantly improved convenience for residents.

Seongdong-gu is the first in the nation to define the concept of essential workers and has proactively implemented substantial and concrete policies for the protection and support of essential workers by establishing an institutional foundation.

In 2020, when the spread of COVID-19 was increasing, workers who performed face-to-face tasks risking infection to maintain the normal functioning of society were named "essential workers," and Seongdong-gu, Seoul, became the first in the country to enact the Essential Worker Protection and Support Ordinance.

This gained significant social consensus, and within a year of the ordinance's enactment, it was legislated as the Essential Worker Protection Act.

In addition to supporting essential worker allowances, the district is promoting various projects such as establishing an essential worker support fund, supporting influenza vaccinations, and opening rest shelters for essential and platform workers, continuing efforts to build a social safety net for low-income occupations.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, "'Essential worker allowances' serve as a foundation for fairly evaluating the value of labor created by essential workers such as care workers and disability activity support workers," adding, "We will continue meticulous efforts and support to ensure employment stability and improve the rights of essential workers who play a vital role in maintaining social functions."

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