The First Public Welfare Site of the 8th Civil Administration... Public Meal Service Expanded from 1 Meal to 2 Meals per Day
Meal Unit Price Uniformly Raised from 3,500 to 4,000 Won
Additional Summer Electricity Charges for Air Conditioner Installation Also Supported
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Mayor Oh Se-hoon, inaugurated as the 39th Mayor of Seoul, made his first field visit to the livelihood sites of the 8th term by visiting the Changsin-dong jjokbang village, officially beginning his commitment to ‘walking together with the vulnerable.’
On the 1st, Mayor Oh visited the Changsin-dong jjokbang village at 10 a.m. right after the online inauguration ceremony to check on the difficulties faced by homeless people and jjokbang residents who are enduring a tough summer due to high inflation, rising electricity bills, heatwaves, and heavy rainfalls. He also announced three major support measures for them. This was the first action following his inaugural speech, where he declared that all future Seoul city policies would prioritize ‘walking together with the vulnerable’ to ensure more benefits reach those who are struggling and marginalized.
The three major support measures prepared by Seoul City for homeless people and jjokbang residents are ▲designating and operating ‘Donghaeng Restaurants’ around jjokbang villages ▲expanding the frequency of public meals at homeless facilities and raising meal prices ▲improving living conditions for jjokbang residents to prepare for heatwaves, including air conditioner installation.
First, from August, ‘Donghaeng Restaurants’ where residents can use meal tickets to eat will be designated and operated. ‘Donghaeng Restaurants’ will be designated by accepting applications from private restaurants near jjokbang villages, and residents can receive meal tickets (worth about 8,000 KRW per meal, once a day) from the ‘Jjokbang Counseling Center’ and use them at designated ‘Donghaeng Restaurants.’ Seoul City will support the meal costs and other expenses with city funds. ‘Donghaeng Restaurants’ will be designated through agreements between the relevant jjokbang counseling centers and restaurants, and the operation will be based on monthly settlements after residents pay with meal tickets.
Seoul City plans to start operating from August 1 after preliminary procedures such as business briefings and performance period competitions. Ten ‘Donghaeng Restaurants’ will be designated in each of the five jjokbang villages (Seoul Station, Yeongdeungpo, Namdaemun, Donui-dong, Changsin-dong), totaling 50 locations, with plans to consider additional designations in the future.
Next, from August 1, with Seoul City’s budget support, the ‘public meals’ provided at homeless facilities will be expanded from one meal per day (dinner) to two meals per day (lunch and dinner), increasing the public meal coverage rate from 65% to 80%. The meal price will also be uniformly raised from 3,500 KRW to 4,000 KRW to provide quality meals despite rising prices.
The average number of meals for homeless people is 1.8 per day, of which 1.2 meals (65%) are covered by public meals and 0.6 meals (35%) by private meals. However, due to recent price increases and other reasons, the supply of private meals has become unstable. Accordingly, through the July supplementary budget, the city plans to reflect the increased meal prices in 33 homeless facilities, including 7 homeless use facilities and 26 living facilities.
To improve the living environment of jjokbang residents in preparation for heatwaves, the city will use its budget and private sponsorships to install 150 air conditioners and support additional electricity costs incurred from air conditioner use (additional charges during July and August, up to 50,000 KRW per household). A summer bedding set (thin blanket, cool mat, pillow) will also be provided. Air conditioner installation will be carried out sequentially at locations where installation is possible after a demand survey by each relevant jjokbang counseling center.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, “Visiting the Changsin-dong jjokbang village as my first schedule after inauguration is to show my determination and commitment to keep the promise of creating a ‘Special City Walking Together with the Vulnerable.’ The gap between rich and poor has widened through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lives of those in difficulty have become even harder. Now, we must think and work together to create a Seoul where everyone lives harmoniously by walking together with the vulnerable. Seoul City will do its best to ensure that those in difficulty can live stably within their communities,” he emphasized.
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