Seocho-type Welfare Safety Net 'SeochoSOS' Emergency Support for Crisis Households Outside the System

Income criteria relaxed from 120% to 140% of median income for complex crisis cases... Special support in Seocho for school trip fees, academy fees, dentures & implants, caregiving costs, etc.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu (Mayor Eunhee Jo) is providing ‘Seocho SOS Emergency Welfare’ support to actively assist various out-of-system vulnerable households that could not receive support through existing welfare programs due to prolonged difficulties in maintaining livelihoods caused by COVID-19.

The ‘Seocho SOS Emergency Welfare’ program supports households facing sudden crisis situations such as the main income earner’s unemployment, death, severe illness, or forced eviction by providing living expenses, medical expenses, and housing costs for a certain period. It offers support for households that exceed the criteria for national and Seoul city emergency aid and for items not covered by other programs.

The eligibility criteria are households with income below 85% of the median standard income and financial assets under 10 million KRW.

Especially in cases of complex crises, the income criterion has been extended to 140% (previously 120%), enabling support for welfare blind spots outside the system. Up to 3 million KRW per household can be provided. After recommendations from community service centers and private welfare centers, the support recipients are decided through case meetings based on the crisis situation.

The budget for supporting vulnerable households is fully funded by the ‘2021 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Fund’.

In particular, due to changes in family structure caused by the increase in single-person households and the weakening of caregiving functions within families, nursing care costs and expensive denture and implant costs have become an economic burden. Support for investments in children’s future, such as school trip fees and academy fees, which were not guaranteed by other support programs, is now possible through Seocho-gu’s special support.

In November, the district provided emergency living and housing expenses to a single-parent household (pseudonym Kim ○○) who had been living homeless during the winter to avoid creditor pressure. At the same time, they helped find a temporary lodging in a gosiwon, enabling the restoration of resident registration and moving-in report. Subsequently, assistance was provided for applying for basic livelihood security (housing benefits), applying for and being selected for LH rental housing, and supporting necessary items upon moving in, helping to resolve the complex crisis situation.

Ms. Kim ○○ expressed her gratitude to Seocho-gu, saying, “In a situation where I wanted to give up everything, I called Seocho-gu Office just once with a hopeful heart, and now I can live again with hope for life.”

Additionally, the district supported a total of 115 households last year, including deposit support for middle-aged single-person households facing eviction due to unpaid monthly rent caused by alcohol dependence, and nursing care expenses for elderly living alone receiving help from public guardians due to dementia.

Seocho-gu Mayor Eunhee Jo stated, “Despite various programs and support prepared by the government and Seoul city, there are still blind spots as the number of households facing various crisis situations due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic is increasing. Through the Seocho SOS Emergency Welfare project, we will expand the microscopic welfare system, eliminate the shadows of welfare blind spots, and carefully monitor them.”