Yoo Deok-yeol, Dongdaemun-gu Mayor, Gains Attention for Efforts to Support Homeless People’s Self-Reliance on the Streets

Dongdaemun-gu Conducts Daily Patrols to Protect Homeless People During Winter, Provides Various Support... Offers Housing to 3 Homeless Found on the 23rd, Connects to Systems for Self-Reliance... Mayor Yu Deok-yeol Visits Gosiwon Where They Stay on the 25th, Checks Situation and Encourages Homeless for Independence

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu (left), visited a gosiwon where homeless people are staying on the 25th to encourage them to gain courage for self-sufficiency and independence.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Thanks to the continuous efforts of Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) since the cold winter, homeless people are welcoming the hopeful spring.

The district formed a street counseling team to protect homeless individuals exposed to dangers such as freezing to death while living on the streets around Cheongnyangni Station and under bridges during the winter cold wave. Since December last year, they have been conducting safety patrols twice daily.

Along with this, a total of 175 staple and supplementary food items such as instant rice, cup noodles, and beef bone soup, as well as 60 cold-weather supplies including winter clothing and sleeping bags, were provided to the homeless on the streets.

During cold wave alerts, night and holiday patrols were conducted a total of 50 times, and lodging was also provided to ensure the safety and protection of the homeless.

In particular, on December 1 last year, a meeting was held for homeless people and those aiming to leave homelessness. Warm lodging (yeoinsuk) was provided to five homeless individuals who attended the meeting and four others discovered during patrols.

Seventeen homeless individuals with the will for self-reliance were selected and linked to the Basic Livelihood Security Program to support their independence.

Even after the cold wave passed, the district continued patrols and on February 23, discovered three homeless individuals including Mr. Lee 00 at Yongdu Neighborhood Park, provided them with lodging in a goshiwon, and completed their Basic Livelihood Security beneficiary applications.

Emergency support (living and housing expenses) was provided first so they could continue living before being selected as Basic Livelihood Security beneficiaries, and for those whose resident registration had been canceled, re-registration was assisted.

On the 25th, Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol personally visited the goshiwon where they were staying, checked their situation, and encouraged the homeless to become self-reliant.

Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol of Dongdaemun-gu stated, “We have thoroughly inspected to ensure no homeless person suffers from the cold wave during the harsh winter, and linked those found to Basic Livelihood Security applications and emergency support to help them become independent. We will continue to make efforts so that homeless people can escape homelessness and become our warm neighbors.”