Boseong-gun, One Year of COVID-19... Selective Support and Proactive Response Stand Out

Targeted Pinpoint Support and Proactive Response... Managing Both Economy and Quarantine Without Secondary Infections

Following Free Flu Vaccines for All Residents, 100,000 KRW Support per Child and Student Planned

[Boseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Cheon-seok] More than a year after the start of COVID-19, Boseong-gun has shared the difficulties of its residents through selective support and proactive measures, demonstrating exemplary performance in blocking COVID-19 transmission and managing confirmed cases without secondary infections.

On the 21st, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do announced plans to provide 100,000 KRW per person to children under 7 years old and elementary, middle, and high school students, following the distribution of masks to all residents and free flu vaccinations for all residents.

To ease the burden on families raising children, scholarship funds will be used to provide approximately 100,000 KRW per student to elementary, middle, and high school students in the area before the new semester begins. For children under 7 years old, a related ordinance will be enacted soon to provide a 100,000 KRW child-rearing disaster relief fund per child from the county budget.

So far, Boseong-gun has provided 22 billion KRW in direct support, including emergency disaster relief funds, and indirectly supported the local economy with the complete sale of 40 billion KRW worth of local currency, the Boseong Sarang gift certificates.

Boseong-gun has responded with a two-track strategy focusing on economic revitalization and quarantine measures from the early stages of COVID-19.

▲ Pinpoint support to share the pain of small business owners and vulnerable groups

From the early days of COVID-19, Boseong-gun has implemented pinpoint welfare by selectively providing additional support to industries severely affected alongside universal welfare.

In particular, small business owners hit hard by COVID-19 received a 50% reduction in water and sewage fees (316 cases, 10 million KRW) and public utility support (300,000 KRW, 1,999 locations, 600 million KRW). Selective support was also actively provided to stores affected by confirmed cases, indoor sports facilities, entertainment bars, and bathhouses to share their hardships.

Support for special types of workers and freelancers helped unpaid leave workers and other COVID-19 affected laborers, while emergency welfare for artists (72 people) supported local artists struggling due to canceled performances and exhibitions.

Temporary support for low-income households (3,000 households/1.7 billion KRW), support for households below 75% of median income (2,000 households/1.2 billion KRW), and support for households below 100% of median income (8,000 households/3.5 billion KRW) directly assisted vulnerable groups who could have fallen into welfare blind spots due to the suspension of public facility operations.

▲ Aggressive early spending for economic revitalization... Complete sale of 40 billion KRW worth of local love gift certificates

Along with selective support, efforts for overall economic revitalization were also pursued. Early disbursement of 5.2 billion KRW in public interest allowances for farmers and fishermen helped local love gift certificates circulate in neighborhood markets in the first half of the year. Untact issuance-type card gift certificates were issued to contribute to commercial district revitalization, and early spending of taxi promotion expenses (300,000 KRW per person, 115 people) was also implemented.

Early disbursement of 23.8 billion KRW in public interest direct payments supported farms struggling due to abnormal weather such as monsoons and typhoons, and a 50% reduction in agricultural machinery rental fees actively helped reduce production costs.

County Governor Kim Cheol-woo expressed his intention to share the pain with residents by returning 30% of his salary, and public officials participated in revitalizing the local economy by jointly purchasing about 200 million KRW worth of the local currency, Boseong Sarang gift certificates.

▲ Prioritizing residents' health with proactive quarantine

Alongside economic revitalization, Boseong-gun showed advanced quarantine measures to block local COVID-19 transmission. On February 5, early in the pandemic, masks for COVID-19 prevention were proactively distributed free of charge to all residents.

During the nationwide mask shortage in March, residents took the initiative to make masks themselves and distributed them free to all residents. A story was shared about an elderly person over eighty volunteering to sew masks, inspiring hope and emotion nationwide.

To prepare for the simultaneous spread of winter flu and COVID-19, free flu vaccinations for all residents were decided and began in October, and in December, 600,000 masks were distributed to all residents through a third free mask distribution.

Boseong-gun's pinpoint welfare continued in quarantine. Vulnerable groups and preschool children, including students, received 33 to 50 masks per person, more than the general residents. During the mask shortage, additional masks were provided to children, adolescents, and pregnant women. Even foreign workers, who were in a mask blind spot, received precious masks.

▲ Advanced administration and shining civic consciousness united in the spirit of sharing

Despite difficulties, Boseong-gun practiced the spirit of sharing and solidarity. Green tea worth 24 million KRW was provided to Wuhan evacuees quarantined in Asan and Jincheon, and green tea beverages (250 boxes) were sent to Daegu Buk-gu, a sister city struggling with the Shincheonji COVID-19 outbreak. Boseong green tea was also supplied to Jeollanam-do’s love lunchboxes sent to Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions.

As foreign workers' entry became difficult due to COVID-19, causing labor shortages during the farming season, public officials formed volunteer groups to assist with tea seedling planting, tea leaf picking, kiwi flower bud thinning, and onion harvesting.

During the COVID-19 situation, not only the administration but also the advanced civic consciousness of residents shone. Residents formed self-quarantine groups to overcome the national crisis together, and religious communities actively participated in blocking COVID-19 by suspending in-person worship or switching to online services.

Donations continued as well. Disinfectants, masks, and funds collected bit by bit were delivered through town and township offices.

Governor Kim Cheol-woo said, “Thanks to the active cooperation of residents, we were able to endure the first year of COVID-19 well,” adding, “Our Boseong-gun will always share the difficulties of residents and continue to prioritize residents' safety and regional economic revitalization, doing our best.”