[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Go Dallyeong] The hearts of the elderly and residents of Jangsu-gun, who are spending the family month of May, are relaxed and happy. Despite the various difficulties caused by COVID-19 both domestically and internationally, thorough quarantine and medical services have ensured that no confirmed cases have occurred in the region. In addition, customized support such as on-site emergency disaster relief fund distribution and rural labor assistance has alleviated the worries of the elderly. Furthermore, 2,698 jobs were provided to fill the income gap for the elderly. Through the Happiness Call Center, convenient transportation services are available anytime and anywhere. Jangsu-gun is playing a filial role for the elderly. Jangsu-gun is the best place to spend a stable and comfortable old age.
■ On-site Emergency Disaster Relief Fund Distribution
COVID-19 has greatly impacted the market economy, causing exclamations across the country. Fortunately, the government and local governments nationwide have prepared emergency disaster relief funds and supported all citizens, focusing on solid economic quarantine.
In Jangsu-gun, emergency disaster relief funds were provided to all residents registered in Jangsu-gun regardless of age or income. Moreover, considering the high elderly population, Jangsu-gun implemented a ‘visiting emergency disaster relief fund support’ instead of requiring recipients to come to receive the funds, which received great response from the elderly.
From the 11th to the 15th, Jangsu-gun formed teams of county office and each eup/myeon staff by village and day of the week to visit village halls and complete the reception and distribution of emergency disaster relief funds.
Although many elderly were concerned about difficulties such as signing or writing and confirming the amount to be received, with 1:1 support from the responsible village staff, all were able to safely receive the emergency disaster relief funds.
■ Customized Administrative Support Services
Due to COVID-19, Jangsu-gun, where agriculture accounts for more than half of the rural income, faced difficulties such as aging population and labor shortages once again. With restrictions on the entry of foreign workers, many farms are deeply worried ahead of the busy farming season.
Accordingly, Jangsu-gun is providing rural labor assistance targeting elderly and vulnerable farms.
Since April, Jangsu-gun has been operating its own labor assistance referral desk and has been cooperating organically with the Rural Workforce Support Center operated by Jangsu and Jang-gye Nonghyup.
Until the 30th of this month, about 500 officials from departments and eup/myeon offices participate to assist rural labor such as fruit thinning, fruit pruning, rice planting support, onion harvesting, pepper planting, and stake setting for single-person households, disabled farms, elderly and female farms.
On the 21st, about 40 employees from the Planning and Coordination Office and Civil Affairs Department participated in volunteer work thinning and pruning apples at apple farms in Subun-ri, Jangsu-eup, and Biryong-ri, Cheoncheon-myeon.
Earlier, on the 19th, 10 employees from the Environmental Resources Office completed pruning work at an apple farm in Obong-ri, Cheoncheon-myeon.
■ Providing Jobs for About 2,698 Elderly
Jangsu-gun decided to resume the senior job and social activity support project, which had been suspended due to the impact of COVID-19, to minimize the income gap for the elderly as the project transitioned to daily life distancing, and began full operation from the 6th of this month.
This year, Jangsu-gun’s senior job and social activity support project will invest 8.945 billion KRW to provide jobs to a total of 2,698 elderly people across 17 projects in 3 types: 2,572 in public interest activities, 10 in social service type, and 116 in market type.
Senior job implementing organizations such as Jangsu Senior Club are required to comply with COVID-19 related senior job operation guidelines, and regularly check compliance with daily life distancing and quarantine guidelines to create a safe job environment.
They plan to thoroughly manage to prevent high-risk elderly from being exposed to infectious diseases during senior job activities and avoid job interruptions.
■ Demand-responsive Public Transportation Service Happiness Call Center
Jangsu-gun has expanded and relocated the Happiness Call Center, originally located in Jinan-gun, to Jang-gye Public Bus Terminal to provide demand-responsive public transportation services suitable for rural conditions, receiving great response.
The Happiness Call Center is a project that supports the fare difference so that residents living in villages more than 1 km away from the nearest bus stop to the village hall can conveniently use taxis by paying only 1,000 KRW when they call a taxi as needed.
When users make a phone reservation to the call center, a message is sent to the driver, and buses and taxis are dispatched alternately to take users to their requested destinations. The fare is 1,000 KRW for adults and 500 KRW for students.
The Happiness Call Center operates with 8 staff divided into 2 teams working in shifts, and the call taxi service is expanded to Jangsu-eup, Jang-gye-myeon, and Gyenam-myeon.
Operating hours are daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from November to February), and call center reception closes 30 minutes before the end of operation. The call center does not accept calls during lunch hours.
Jangsu-gun provides a monthly 10,000 won coupon to elderly residents aged 65 and over who have an address in Jangsu, offering hairdressing and beauty services.
■ Senior Hairdressing Coupons
One of the pledges of the 7th local government administration, the senior hairdressing fee support project, is one of the welfare projects first implemented nationwide by Jangsu-gun for the elderly.
The hairdressing coupon project provides a monthly 10,000 KRW coupon (9,000 KRW subsidy from the county, 1,000 KRW self-payment) for hairdressing services to seniors aged 65 or older residing in Jangsu.
The county issues one coupon per month, totaling 12 coupons annually, which can be received after identity verification at eup/myeon offices.
Through this project, welfare benefits are provided to 7,143 seniors aged 65 or older, accounting for 31% of the total population of Jangsu-gun (22,768 people).
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