Government Recovers 23.9 Billion Won After Incorrectly Distributing Emergency Support Funds to Special Employment and Freelancers

Among 23,000 Beneficiaries... Duplicate Receipt of Similar Support Funds Confirmed

On the 8th, when offline applications for the 3rd COVID-19 Emergency Employment Stability Support Fund began, citizens visited the Employment Welfare Plus Center in Jung-gu, Seoul to apply for the support fund. Special types of workers and freelancers who cannot verify their identity on the website due to reasons such as not having a mobile phone under their name, resident registration number errors, being foreign nationals, or name changes can apply for the support fund by visiting the nearest employment center on the 8th and 11th with a copy of their ID and bankbook./Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been confirmed that 23,000 recipients of the emergency employment stabilization support fund provided to special employment workers (teukso) and freelancers for COVID-19 response are ineligible, making them subject to fund recovery. The funds were mistakenly given and then reclaimed.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 23rd, among the recipients of the emergency employment stabilization support fund, 23,000 people were identified as subject to fund recovery due to duplicate receipt of similar support funds.

The emergency employment stabilization support fund targets teukso and freelancers who have experienced income reduction and difficulties due to the COVID-19 crisis. Since last year, 34 trillion KRW has been paid to 1.79 million people over four rounds. For those who received all four rounds of support, the total amount per person is 3 million KRW.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor stipulated that those receiving certain government or local government support funds, such as the 'Regional Employment Response Special Support Project' fund, cannot receive the emergency employment stabilization support fund simultaneously.

However, it was later confirmed that 23,000 recipients of the emergency employment stabilization support fund had received duplicate support, and the ministry sent them notices to recover the funds. The total amount to be recovered is estimated at 23.9 billion KRW.

Last year, the ministry sent recovery notices to 13,000 people, and this year, to 10,000 people. In March and April of this year, 6,000 and 4,000 people respectively received recovery notices.

Regarding criticism that the ministry sent the recovery notices collectively right after the by-elections in April, the ministry explained, "This is not true," adding, "Recovery notices are issued as soon as recipients are confirmed to be subject to recovery."