Naju City to Distribute '2nd Disaster Relief Fund'... 100,000 KRW Per Person

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City in Jeollanam-do announced on the 24th that, following last year, it will provide an emergency disaster relief fund of 100,000 KRW per citizen this year as well to overcome the livelihood economic crisis caused by the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

The mayor of Naju explained the timing, scale, and funding plans for the relief payment in an official statement regarding the decision to provide the second round of disaster relief funds.

In the statement, the mayor said, “Due to the extension of social distancing caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the local economy is becoming increasingly difficult, and citizens’ lives are also becoming more challenging,” adding, “We decided to provide the second disaster relief fund to comfort the hearts of citizens exhausted by COVID-19 and to revive the depressed local economy.”

The second emergency disaster relief fund of Naju City will be paid to all citizens registered as residents within Naju City (including marriage immigrants) as of the announcement day of the official statement.

The support fund will be 100,000 KRW per person in Naju Love Gift Certificates, with the budget for the support fund to be finalized through the Naju City Council’s extraordinary session scheduled for the 27th, and payments are expected to be made next month after the Lunar New Year holiday.

The population of Naju as of the end of last year was 116,726, and it is expected that about 11.8 billion KRW of the city’s own budget will be required for the payment of the support fund.

The city plans to first use the increased local allocation tax to prepare a supplementary budget and then secure the necessary funds through financial demand adjustments and expenditure restructuring during the second supplementary budget.

A city official said, “We are grateful to the Naju City Council for sharing the intention to prioritize the recovery of the livelihood economy and provide the second disaster relief fund,” adding, “As guardians of quarantine, we will do our best to ensure that the disaster relief funds are promptly paid to citizens who have endured long-term suffering.”

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong bong2910@asiae.co.kr