Gwangsan District's 'Saldeonjip' Policy Becomes Benchmark for Local Governments Nationwide

On August 26, Gwangsan District in Gwangju announced that there has been a growing trend of benchmarking its residential welfare policy, the 'Saldeonjip' project.

A view of the Gwangsan District Office in Gwangju.

According to the district, since the project began in earnest, local governments such as Gochang County in North Jeolla Province and Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province have inquired about the background and progress of the initiative. In addition, a city council member from Pohang City in North Gyeongsang Province requested information through District Mayor Park Byungkyu's 'direct text message service.' The council member expressed interest, stating that the 'Saldeonjip' project could help stabilize residents' housing and maintain community bonds.

The 'Saldeonjip' project is a policy that provides integrated support for housing, health, and medical care, enabling people to live in familiar homes rather than facilities such as nursing homes or long-term care hospitals. The initiative aims to shift care from institutional settings to a community- and housing-based approach, addressing the challenges of a rapidly aging population and the increase in single-person households. An increasing number of local governments are considering adopting the program.

The central government is also paying attention. Recently, Minister of Health and Welfare Chung Eunkyung visited Gwangju to inspect the site, stating that the 'Saldeonjip' project could serve as a model for nationwide implementation. Furthermore, the national policy agenda announced on August 13 included 'integrated care in the place where people currently live,' raising expectations for synergistic effects.

District Mayor Park stated, "Interest from both the central government and local governments in the 'Saldeonjip' project is growing," adding, "We will ensure that Gwangsan District's innovation in care leads to the evolution of national welfare."

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