Chuncheon City Confronts Middle East-Induced Economic Crisis Head-On... Announces 50 Billion Won Livelihood Stabilization Measures

Mayor Yook Donghan: “Protecting Citizens’ Daily Lives”
Emergency Response Measures for High Prices and Soaring Oil Costs
Freeze on Public Utility Fees and Enhanced Support for Small Businesses
SME Development Fund Expanded to 50 Billion Won, Customized Consulting for Companies

As international oil prices continue to rise and exchange rate instability persists due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the city of Chuncheon has promptly established countermeasures to overcome the current livelihood crisis.

Yook Donghan, mayor of Chuncheon, held a briefing in the city hall briefing room on the 11th and announced the contents of the 26th Public Livelihood Economic Policy Council meeting held on the same day. Provided by Chuncheon City

On March 11, Chuncheon Mayor Yook Donghan held a briefing in the city hall briefing room and announced the outcomes of the 26th Public Livelihood Economic Policy Council meeting that he presided over that day. During the 26th Chuncheon Public Livelihood Economic Policy Council meeting, participants focused on the possibility that external economic instability—such as rising oil prices and a sharp increase in the won-dollar exchange rate—could lead to higher local prices, reduced consumer spending, and management difficulties for small business owners. In the Chuncheon area, citizens are experiencing a greater sense of financial burden as gasoline prices have risen significantly over the past week.

In response, the city announced that it has prepared measures centered on stabilizing the cost of living, protecting neighborhood commercial districts, improving the business environment for companies, and safeguarding vulnerable groups. To stabilize daily living prices, Chuncheon will operate the “Chuncheon Public Livelihood Economic Situation Room” and continuously monitor price trends of 116 key livelihood items. In preparation for potential supply instability in agricultural and livestock products, the city will expand the operation of the Farmers’ Market and promote participation in direct trade markets to improve distribution efficiency, while also closely managing shipment trends of major agricultural and livestock products.

The city will also implement energy-related measures. If high oil prices persist, Chuncheon will consider providing additional support for tax-free oil for agricultural use and heating costs for vulnerable groups, such as senior centers. The city also plans to increase the number of industrial complex resident companies eligible for logistics cost support to 60 through the upcoming supplementary budget. Additionally, Chuncheon will put on hold any increases in local public utility fees, such as water, garbage bag fees, and public parking lot rates, and will post information about low-cost and budget gas stations on the city’s website.

To stimulate local consumption, the city will allocate additional budget to expand the issuance of Chuncheon Sarang Gift Certificates, and will also pursue consumption promotion policies such as the activation of the public delivery platform “Ddanggyeyo” and the expansion of “Good Price Stores.”

Support for small businesses and neighborhood commercial areas will also be strengthened. The city will proactively address the impact on local businesses from the discussion about allowing early morning deliveries by large supermarkets, and will seek to revitalize the original downtown by transforming the Soyang Art Circle, a hub for culture and the arts, into a tourist attraction, as well as promoting revitalization projects in conjunction with surrounding commercial districts. Efforts to enhance safety infrastructure in aging traditional markets will be carried out concurrently.

Chuncheon has also established measures to support companies and expand employment. To help resolve the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises, the city will operate tailored, on-site business consulting sessions in cooperation with relevant agencies, and will expand support for generative AI subscription fees, as raised at ICT company meetings, to strengthen the digital capabilities of corporate employees.

Additionally, the city plans to increase the budget for secondary compensation on SME development funds, expanding the loan program to 50 billion won.

Efforts will also be made to protect vulnerable groups and strengthen the social safety net. Chuncheon will expand the “Chuncheon-Style Integrated Care Network,” increasing the number of elderly care recipients to 3,770, and will transition the “Just Dream” pilot support program for households in crisis to a full-scale program starting in May. In fire-prone areas where fire trucks have difficulty accessing, the city will deploy 14 portable large-capacity fire extinguishers and 3 high-pressure water sprayers to reinforce the initial fire response system. In addition, the city will continue to implement support policies for vulnerable groups, including welfare aid for national merit recipients and a pilot project for a personal budget system for people with disabilities.

Mayor Yook Donghan stated, “Through the twenty-six sessions of the Public Livelihood Economic Policy Council so far, we have provided small yet significant help to citizens and fulfilled our role during difficult times. In today’s highly uncertain reality—where things could get worse or, conversely, stabilize quickly—Chuncheon City will continue to stand with our citizens and strive to ensure a comfortable daily life by overcoming fear together.”

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