Jongno-gu Prepares Realistic Welfare Support Measures Considering Officially Announced Property Prices... 500,000 Won Support per Person

[Seoul District News] Jongno-gu Provides Customized Support Payments from 500,000 KRW per Person to 1.9 Million KRW for Six-Person Households Starting This Month for Residents Excluded from Benefits Due to Housing Ownership Despite Economic Hardship... Mapo-gu Hosts Festival and Busking Events Around Hongdae Area

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Jeong Mun-heon) is promoting the 'Jongno-type Emergency Welfare' project from this month through December to provide practical assistance to residents in welfare blind spots excluded from the formal system, contributing to the stabilization of low-income households.

This is to carefully support residents who are experiencing financial hardship but were excluded from welfare benefit applications due to reasons such as home ownership or who do not qualify for national (Seoul-type) emergency welfare and thus receive no support.

Accordingly, to build a solid welfare safety net at the community level for those facing economic crises, Jongno-gu plans to use sponsorship funds from the Jongno-gu Social Welfare Council to provide customized support funds for living, housing, and medical purposes separately from Seoul-type and national-type living expenses.

The target beneficiaries are residents who fall under legal benefits, integrated case management, and those with a standard median income of 120% or less (general property 500 million KRW, financial assets 20 million KRW).

The property criteria are set to consider those who have no separate income but own a certain level of assets including a house, who were previously excluded from benefit applications or did not receive legal assistance.

Furthermore, to reduce welfare dependency and prevent long-term benefit receipt, the support is provided only once (with possible extension if necessary).

The amount varies by household size: 500,000 KRW for a single-person household, 900,000 KRW for two persons, 1,170,000 KRW for three persons, 1,450,000 KRW for four persons, 1,700,000 KRW for five persons, and 1,900,000 KRW for six persons.

For related inquiries, contact the local community service center or the Welfare Policy Division’s Hope Welfare Support Team.

The district expects that through this Jongno-type emergency welfare project, residents in welfare blind spots will receive at least minimal assistance, alleviate financial and material difficulties, and reduce feelings of depression. Satisfaction surveys will be conducted with beneficiaries in the future to review the sustainability of the project.

District Mayor Jeong Mun-heon emphasized, “This project is to meticulously care for residents who were unfortunately excluded from benefits due to home ownership despite applying as beneficiaries,” adding, “We will continue to prepare realistic emergency welfare support measures considering official property prices and do our utmost to help more residents overcome economic difficulties.”

Mapo-gu (District Mayor Park Gang-su) held a local cultural event from July 29 to 31 in the Hongdae area to revitalize the local commercial district and provide performance opportunities for artists.

Hosted by the Hongdae Small Business Prosperity Association, the ‘Hongdae Arts and Culture Festival Back to the 2018’ was held on Hongdae Festival Street, recreating the passionate and lively Hongdae before COVID-19.

Twenty teams of artists performed in a relay format, including magic shows, busking performances, musicals, and dance, attracting the attention of passing tourists. Along the Gyeongui Line Book Street connected to Hongdae, art pieces themed on pre-COVID Hongdae were exhibited, evoking memories of the vibrant Hongdae.

Additionally, on July 30 at 5 p.m., the ‘Hongdae Walkable Street’ hosted the ‘Hongdae Busker Buddy Festa’ event, where seven indie band artists performed busking shows.

Organized by the Seoul Street Artist Cooperative, this event will be held a total of 12 times until November this year, continuing to offer many tourists visiting Hongdae various sights and entertainment.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, who attended the Hongdae event, said, “Culture has the power to make people happy and provide spiritual comfort,” adding, “We will promote policies that can further activate the Hongdae area with its diverse cultural content so that residents can enjoy a rich life.”

The district is implementing the ‘Local Culture and Arts Event and Festival Support Project’ to revitalize cultural and artistic events that have been stagnant since COVID-19.

This year, 50 million KRW is being supported for 12 events including the Gullebang Smartphone Video Art Festival, the 2nd Our Mapo Concert, and the 9th Harmonica Festival, and 140 million KRW is being provided for 13 festivals including the 19th Mapo Food Culture Festival, Street Dance Festival, and the 10th Seongmisan Neighborhood Theater Festival.

To revive Hongdae’s unique culture and arts, the district is currently considering creating spaces for cultural artists within part of the building during the construction of an underground parking lot in the Donggyo-dong area.