Yangcheon-gu Produces and Uploads Care SOS Promotional Video on YouTube

Inducing Interest with Friendly Video of Former Character Haewoori and Explaining 6 Major Services

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) will implement the 'Care SOS Project' starting this August, which offers benefits to all residents, drawing attention with its unique promotional strategy.

Since the 6th local government term, Yangcheon-gu has led a paradigm shift in welfare for the marginalized middle-aged population by preventing lonely deaths among single men in their 50s and helping their social reintegration. Now, the district is moving swiftly to actively promote universal welfare.

"Hello everyone! Today, one of our residents came to me with many questions," "I want to know more details about the Care SOS Center."

The Yangcheon-gu character Haewoori and a resident are having a conversation. They are producing a video to be uploaded on the official YouTube channel, 'Yangcheon TV.'

The video format involves the resident asking what the Care SOS Center project is, who can receive the services, how much the service costs, and what the six main services include, with Haewoori providing answers.

Although the policy is useful for residents, it was judged that the content might feel somewhat complicated for the main service users, such as the elderly and vulnerable groups. Approaching them in a friendly manner through easily accessible YouTube is expected to promote the project more effectively.

In particular, the district has an ambitious plan to minimize care gaps by informing as many people as possible about this Care SOS Center project, which is designed to address blind spots in care.

The care gap has made vulnerable groups even more isolated due to the impact of COVID-19, as some welfare services were suspended. While Korea became a model for other countries with its successful K-quarantine and rapidly expanded non-face-to-face industries leveraging its digital strengths, a dark shadow of deepening social polarization was also created.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, stated, "Care is no longer a burden that individuals must bear alone but a social issue that society must share. Many people could live happier lives with just a little help from those around them." He added, "We will widely promote the Care SOS Center project, starting in August, in new and innovative ways suited to the non-face-to-face era, so it can be a great help to those experiencing unexpected difficulties in daily life."

◇What is Care SOS?

The Care SOS Center is a one-stop integrated care service hub where care managers visit vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled, and middle-aged adults over 50 who have no one to care for them in emergencies like accidents or illnesses, providing customized services.

Expanding from welfare services mainly for basic livelihood security recipients, near-poverty groups, and severely disabled individuals, the project now offers universal welfare to any adult over 50 with care needs. Service recipients are selected based on urgency and severity rather than income level, which is expected to resolve the long-standing issue of care gaps.

By supplementing the limitations of existing care systems, the project universally provides six preliminary services?temporary home care, short-term facilities, accompaniment support, residential convenience, meal support, and information counseling?to residents in need, aiming to stably establish the 'Yangcheon-type public integrated care system.' This is the core of the project.