Providing Jobs and Temporary Housing to 70 Homeless People at Seoul Station and Yeongdeungpo Station

Seoul City-Korea Railroad, Business Agreement for Homeless Self-Support Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On the afternoon of the 5th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will sign a business agreement with Korea Railroad and the Dasiseogi Comprehensive Support Center in a private room on the 4th floor of Seoul Station to revitalize job creation for the homeless.

Since 2012, Seoul has created the "Friends of Hope" project group together with Korea Railroad and the Dasiseogi Comprehensive Support Center to support the self-sufficiency of homeless people around Seoul Station, providing about 20 to 40 homeless individuals annually with jobs and temporary housing for six months.

The total number of jobs provided by Korea Railroad to homeless people around Seoul Station to date is 240, with a cumulative participation of 374 people.

This year, starting in July, 25 homeless people around Seoul Station and 45 homeless people around Yeongdeungpo Station and Cheongnyangni Station will complete safety training and then participate in jobs provided by Korea Railroad for six months. They will work 60 hours per month (3 hours per day, 20 days), with a monthly salary of about 720,000 KRW, including parking and monthly leave allowances and meal expenses.

The city will provide selected participants with temporary housing services (monthly rent) of about 250,000 KRW per month for six months.

The Dasiseogi Comprehensive Support Center selects homeless people to work in the cleaning project group through counseling and is responsible for education and counseling on housing, work, safety, and basic skills. It also conducts various self-sufficiency programs to boost participants' self-esteem and helps them enter higher-level jobs such as private employment after the period ends through continuous counseling and case management.