7 Sectors Including Traditional Markets and Travel Industry... Plan to Provide Uniform Support of 500,000 Won Each
[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province will provide an additional 6.8 billion KRW in emergency livelihood support funds to 8,603 businesses facing closure risks and livelihood difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
The province announced on the 2nd that it will urgently support industries excluded from the government’s disaster relief fund despite severe sales declines caused by special government quarantine measures.
The support targets seven categories: ▲traditional markets (unregistered businesses) ▲chartered bus drivers ▲corporate taxi drivers ▲rural guesthouses (unregistered businesses) ▲cut flower cultivation flower farms ▲travel agencies ▲artists. Each eligible recipient will receive a uniform support amount of 500,000 KRW.
Flower farms will be supported based on last year’s cut flower shipment performance and current production, targeting 250 farms affected by a recent sharp drop in shipments.
Traditional markets will support 4,000 unregistered stores as of December 1 last year and encourage them to register their businesses.
Artists, whose income has sharply declined due to performance and exhibition suspensions, will receive support for a total of 1,800 individuals facing livelihood difficulties.
Additionally, chartered bus drivers will be supported for a total of 2,340 people due to decreased operations and increased vehicle suspensions caused by cancellations of travel and events. Eligible individuals are those registered in the transportation worker management system who have worked at chartered bus companies in the province since October 1 last year.
Corporate taxi drivers will be supported for 2,501 vehicles to improve fairness, as they have experienced a sharp decline in demand due to year-end and New Year’s restrictions on dining and gatherings and have received only 500,000 KRW in support compared to 1 million KRW given to individual taxi drivers.
The travel industry, facing a sharp sales decline and closure risks due to overseas travel suspensions and domestic travel restrictions, will receive additional support from the province despite being eligible for government support. Support will be provided to 525 registered travel agencies in the province as of the end of last year.
Applicants can apply through their respective city or county offices, and the province will make lump-sum payments. The support will be provided promptly before the Lunar New Year holiday to maximize synergy with government support measures.
The application period is from the 3rd to the 5th for cut flower cultivation flower farms, rural guesthouses unregistered businesses, chartered bus drivers, corporate taxi drivers, and travel agencies; from the 3rd to the 9th for traditional market unregistered businesses; and from the 3rd to the 26th for artists.
To implement this third round of emergency livelihood support, the province has allocated the entire 6.8 billion KRW budget from its contingency funds and plans to actively protect small business owners suffering from the prolonged COVID-19 crisis and revitalize the stagnant local economy.
Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, said, “We hope this support will provide some relief to the approximately 14,000 small business owners and self-employed individuals severely affected.” He added, “As confirmed cases are increasing due to cluster infections at places like Daejeon IM Mission and Gwangju TCS International School, residents are urged to minimize travel to other regions during the Lunar New Year holiday and limit contact with visiting family, relatives, and acquaintances.”
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