Busan City Supports Health Checkup Expenses for 'Sosang Gongin'

Medical Examination Fee of 250,000 KRW Each for 284 Small Business Owners in Busan

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Busan City will support 2.5 million KRW each for comprehensive health checkup costs to 284 local small business owners who are struggling due to COVID-19.

Busan City was the first local government nationwide to start the ‘Small Business Owner Happiness Welfare Support Project’ two years ago for the welfare of local small business owners.

This project holds a healing camp every year for the harmony of small business owners' families and supports comprehensive health checkups and health promotion costs. This year, considering social distancing due to COVID-19, the city canceled the family healing camp and decided to support comprehensive health checkup costs instead.

Small business owners who wish to receive support for comprehensive health checkup costs can apply through the Busan Small Business Owner Hope Center website, and if selected as support recipients, they can receive support in two ways.

The first method is to use contracted hospitals. The city has signed agreements with 14 regional general hospitals to operate a contracted checkup program.

By using this, they can receive more diverse checkups at the same cost. The contracted checkup program can also be used by the families of small business owners selected for the project, and when using contracted hospitals, the hospital bills the city for the checkup costs, so small business owners do not have to pay upfront.

The second method is to receive a health checkup at a regional general hospital with a checkup center and then submit the receipt within the project period. It is convenient as they can get checked at the hospital they usually use.

Byeon Seong-wan, Acting Mayor of Busan, said, “As local small business owners have grown increasingly concerned about their health, which they usually neglect while experiencing COVID-19, I hope they can engage in their livelihoods with peace of mind through this project.”

Applications for comprehensive health checkup cost support can be made on the Small Business Owner Hope Center website. For detailed inquiries, contact the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, the implementing organization.