Gwangju City Provides Livelihood Stabilization Fund Support for Taxi Drivers

Announcement of the 7th Livelihood Stabilization Measures to Protect the Local Economy from COVID-19

On the morning of the 4th, Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, held a briefing at the city hall briefing room regarding the 7th livelihood stabilization measures supporting the livelihood stabilization funds for taxi transport workers and COVID-19 related matters. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 4th the ‘7th Livelihood Stabilization Measures to Protect the Local Economy from COVID-19’ to support individual and corporate taxi drivers who have been excluded from various support benefits and left in a blind spot.

The taxi industry in Gwangju has experienced a sales decline of up to 40% since February due to COVID-19, causing significant livelihood difficulties for drivers.

This support is being promoted in connection with the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s ‘Emergency Employment Stability Subsidy.’

The government’s Emergency Employment Stability Subsidy targets special employment workers, freelancers, small business owners, and employees who took unpaid leave between March and May. If the household income is below 150% of the median income or the applicant’s annual income is below 70 million KRW (annual sales of 200 million KRW), and if the income or sales decline rate is 25-50% or more, with unpaid leave days of 30-45 days (or 5-10 days per month), then 1.5 million KRW per person can be received.

Applications have been accepted via the internet homepage or mobile since the 1st, and the city expects that some individual taxi drivers will benefit from this government support.

Taxi drivers who do not meet the government’s Emergency Employment Stability Subsidy criteria and are left in a blind spot will be able to receive separate support through the ‘Taxi Driver Livelihood Stabilization Fund’ prepared under the 7th Livelihood Stabilization Measures.

Gwangju predicts that due to the structure of this government support, a significant number of corporate taxis and some individual taxis will not be included in the government support target, and these drivers will receive 500,000 KRW per person via the Gwangju Sangsaeng Card.

The city’s emergency livelihood stabilization fund will accept applications through individual and corporate taxi associations from the 15th of this month until the 31st of next month.

The support targets individual and corporate taxi drivers who are not eligible for government support and have recognized work records of at least 30 days from February to the end of May, when a significant sales decline occurred.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, “I hope this support will help the taxi industry, which quietly serves as the citizens’ means of transportation alongside buses and subways despite harsh conditions, overcome this crisis,” and added, “We will do our best to ensure that practical support for drivers is provided as quickly as possible in cooperation with individual and corporate taxi associations and the Economic Employment Promotion Agency.”