Seoul City Provides 2 Billion Won in Living Expenses and More to Welfare-At-Risk Households

Seoul City announced on the 24th that it will provide support through the 'Hope Ondol Emergency Crisis Fund,' which utilizes private fundraising to assist households in crisis facing welfare blind spots. The support covers rent deposits, living expenses, and medical expenses, with a total secured support amount reaching 2 billion KRW this year.

Started in 2012, the 'Hope Ondol Emergency Crisis Fund' is a support measure operated with donations from the 'Warm Winter Campaign,' jointly promoted by the city and the Seoul Social Welfare Community Chest. Major projects include the 'Seoul-type Rent Deposit Support Project,' which provides housing costs (rent deposits) to households in housing crisis, and 'Support for Vulnerable Crisis Households,' which provides living and medical expenses.

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This year, the Seoul-type Rent Deposit Support Project has raised the support limit per household from the previous maximum of 6 million KRW (2023) to 6.5 million KRW in accordance with the public charter rental housing self-payment standards, supporting about 120 households with a total of 760 million KRW. Household heads residing in Seoul with an income at or below 120% of the median income can apply through local community centers, regional welfare institutions, or housing counseling centers.

Over the past five years (2019?2023), approximately 3.2 billion KRW in rent deposits has been provided to 770 households living in vulnerable housing areas such as goshiwons and motels. Analyzing the distribution of 144 supported households last year, the order was middle-aged and older single-person households (36.8%), elderly living alone (21.5%), and young single-person households (13.2%), indicating a contribution to improving the housing environment of isolated single-person crisis households.

The Support Project for Vulnerable Crisis Households provides emergency funds such as living and medical expenses up to 1 million KRW per household to crisis households with income at or below 120% of the median income who require urgent support but fall outside the existing emergency welfare support criteria. This year, a total of 1.24 billion KRW will be provided.

Medical expenses are supported on an individual basis rather than per household, allowing up to three individuals per household to receive up to 3 million KRW (up to 1 million KRW per person). Over the past five years (2019?2023), about 5.6 billion KRW has been provided to 9,635 vulnerable households. Applications for support for vulnerable crisis households can be made at 110 base institutions located in Seoul, including comprehensive social welfare centers, senior welfare centers, disability welfare centers, and jjokbang counseling centers.

Hadongjun, Director of the Seoul City Safe Care Welfare Division, said, "We will do our best to support vulnerable groups in welfare blind spots facing sudden crises to overcome their difficulties and regain stability in life, not only through rent deposit support and vulnerable crisis household support but also by linking welfare services."

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