"Ensuring a Decent Life for All"... Siheung City Accelerates 'Siheung-Style Basic Society' for 600,000 Citizens

Siheung City Accelerates Implementation of the 'Siheung-Style Basic Society'

Strengthening Universal Welfare Covering Care, Housing, and Transportation

Establishment of 'Basic Society Team'... Creating a Policy Control Tower

Enhancing Citizen-Centered Policies from Care to Housing

Boosting Public Awareness of the Basic Society... Pursuing Policy Advancement

Siheung City in Gyeonggi Province is accelerating the implementation of the "Siheung-Style Basic Society," in which the local government takes responsibility for citizens' fundamental quality of life. The city aims to proactively establish a model that strengthens public responsibility for key aspects of daily living, such as housing, transportation, and care, in response to deepening social inequality.

According to Siheung City on April 20, the city quickly launched a "Basic Society Team" in January this year, ahead of other local governments nationwide. This team is a dedicated organization overseeing all basic society policies, and the city plans to secure momentum by establishing related ordinances and forming a committee within the year. Siheung has set "basic income" and "basic services" as its two main pillars, with the long-term goal of building a "sustainable economic circulation system" to support them.

Siru, the local currency of Siheung City. Provided by Siheung City

Guaranteeing a Minimum Standard of Living... Strengthening Basic Income

The core of a basic society is "basic income," provided universally or individually, and "basic services," delivered to everyone in need without discrimination. Establishing a "sustainable economic circulation system" to facilitate the successful settlement of these pillars is considered a long-term task.

Since the 7th popularly elected administration, Siheung City has focused on realizing the values of a basic society through Siheung's local currency, Siru. In 2020, to support citizens facing difficulties due to COVID-19, the city provided a disaster basic income of 100,000 won per person to all Siheung residents, regardless of age or income. In 2021, the city also offered its own disaster relief funds to all local small business owners who suffered losses from the pandemic. Alongside Gyeonggi Province’s disaster basic income, these measures served as a strong safety net for protecting the lives of citizens.

Currently, the city is concentrating its efforts on promoting the values of a basic society by providing basic income within available resources. Through cooperation with Gyeonggi Province, Siheung guarantees a fundamental standard of living for diverse groups via programs such as Gyeonggi Youth Basic Income, Gyeonggi Sports Opportunity Income, and Siheung Agricultural and Fisheries Opportunity Income. From this year, the city also launched the "Climate Action Opportunity Income" program, offering compensation for Siheung-specific carbon-neutral activities to all citizens using its own funds.

Furthermore, Siheung plans to establish an economic revitalization system for its Siheung-style basic society and basic income by utilizing "Mobile Siru," the nation’s first mobile-based local currency. The city will strengthen universal basic income through regular Siru discount issuance and expanded policy-based distribution. The resulting benefits are intended to foster a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution by stimulating local and external economic activities.

Anyone Can Access Rehabilitation Care Services in the Field. Provided by Siheung City

Removing Barriers in Care and Education... Expanding Basic Services

In addition to basic income, which supports everyday life, the provision of basic services to enhance quality of life is also an essential condition for a basic society. Siheung City is making efforts to devise a variety of basic service policies so that anyone in need of care, education, housing, or transportation can access these benefits.

Siheung City places particular emphasis on care and education. In 2022, the city established the "Siheung Care SOS Center" in each neighborhood, the first in Gyeonggi Province, and has since promoted comprehensive care based on this initiative. It provides integrated and connected support for health care, nursing, and care services to seniors and individuals with disabilities who have difficulty maintaining daily life. For all citizens requiring care due to sudden illness or accidents, the "Universal Care Program" delivers seamless, comprehensive basic care.

The city has also established a life-cycle basic care system by supporting child benefits, sanitary products for female adolescents, youth living scholarships, and customized care services for seniors. Notably, Siheung has strengthened its own initiatives such as the "Siheung-Style Integrated Care Health Service" for seniors and people with health concerns or disabilities, the "Senior Happiness Outreach Project" for those aged 75 or older living alone, and "Customized Helper for the Disabled," which provides tailored care services based on the type and needs of each beneficiary. These efforts reinforce the safety net for vulnerable health groups.

Siheung City also aspires to be an "education city" where every citizen enjoys learning opportunities without discrimination.

Currently, the city supports free meals at all private kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools. For new students enrolling in elementary, middle, or high schools within the city, Siheung provides entrance preparation funds regardless of the school's location. The city also offers its own grants to local university (including graduate school) students, focusing on the realization of basic education. Moreover, through "Siheung Education Campus SSOC" and "Siheung Citizen Campus Q," the city provides tailored education services across the entire life span, from school education to lifelong learning. By building an integrated learning ecosystem that connects online and offline platforms, Siheung plans to create an environment where everyone can easily access education.

Overview of Alconddalcondol Social Housing in Sincheon-dong. Provided by Siseulsi

Housing and Transportation as Basic Rights... Advancing the 'Siheung-Style Basic Society' for Everyday Life

Siheung City is strengthening public responsibility for housing welfare to guarantee at least a minimum right to housing for comfortable living. The "Siheung-Style Housing Expense (Children's Housing Expense) Support Program," which provides rent subsidies to low-income households, is the city’s flagship basic housing policy. Rent subsidies are offered to households without a home, and those with children under 18 receive additional support. The city also contributes to housing stability for newlyweds with programs such as the "Alkongdalkong Social Housing Project" and the "Siheung Newlywed Jeonse Deposit Interest Support."

Alongside housing subsidies, the city has established policies to improve the residential environment. Through the "Siheung-Style Home Repair Support Program," which assists with wallpapering, flooring, and other repairs, and neighborhood "Community Maintenance Centers," which provide simple repairs and tool rental, Siheung is striving to realize a basic society that citizens can truly experience.

Basic transportation, which guarantees freedom of movement for all citizens, is achieved through public transit fare support by way of the "Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport K-Pass," "Gyeonggi Province The Gyeonggi Pass," and "Gyeonggi Province Children and Youth Transportation Fare Support Program." Additionally, Siheung is implementing its own programs, such as the "Siheung Pass Plus" for children and youth aged 11 to 18, and the "Siheung Senior Basic Transportation Fare" for those aged 65 and older, with the aim of realizing universal basic transportation for all citizens.

Siheung Citizen Campus Q - Citizen Learning Research Lab Education Site. Provided by Siheung City

Energy Income for Everyone... Turning Sunlight into Income and Welfare

As building a basic society for energy emerges as a core task for sustainable urban development, Siheung City is also accelerating the realization of "sunlight income" and "solar energy welfare" by expanding the supply of renewable energy. The city is promoting the "Convergence Support Project" for factories, buildings, and houses to broaden the foundation for "RE100." In addition, through the "RE100 Income Village" initiative, which utilizes apartment rooftops, Siheung supports citizens in producing renewable energy in everyday life. The goal is to create an environment where all citizens enjoy basic energy welfare while reducing electricity bills.

In particular, the city is expanding its renewable energy production base by utilizing idle spaces, such as installing solar power facilities along the Siwha Embankment cycling path, and supporting the installation of solar panels on factory rooftops within the Siheung Smart Hub. Through wide-ranging solar policies spanning both industrial complexes and residential areas, the city aims to become an energy self-sufficient city in which citizens and businesses participate together.

Acting Mayor Park Seungsam stated, "We will devote all our efforts to establishing the Siheung-Style Basic Society model so that diverse basic society policies protecting citizens’ everyday lives can take root and become a substantial safety net for our residents."

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