[Seoul District News] Yeongdeungpo-gu Advances Payment of Various Contract Fees for Construction, Services, and Supplies by September 8 & Payment Period Reduced from Maximum 19 to 10 Days ... Gwanak-gu Urgently Allocates 75.6 Billion KRW in 2022 2nd Supplementary Budget ... Dongjak-gu Allocates 8 Billion KRW Supplementary Budget for Disaster Relief Prepaid Before Chuseok ... Guro-gu Completes 60.7% Payment of Disaster Relief for Housing Flood Damage Ahead of Chuseok Holiday
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon ·photo) announced that it will expedite payments for various contracts including construction, services, and supplies ahead of Chuseok.
The district plans to significantly shorten the payment procedures for companies contracted with the district and execute payments promptly to promote the stability of businesses and workers' livelihoods while contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.
The payment targets are contracts scheduled for completion by the holiday or those eligible to apply for progress payments or advance payments, totaling 153 cases amounting to 12.6 billion KRW.
Normally, payments for ordered projects are made within 5 days after the district completes progress and completion inspections within 7 to 14 days after contract fulfillment and receives the payment claim from the company.
However, for Chuseok, the district will reduce the progress and completion inspections without defects to immediate or within 7 days, and payment dates to within 3 days, shortening the maximum payment period from 19 days to 10 days, with all procedures to be completed by September 8.
In particular, labor costs related to wages will be paid promptly by minimizing the period, and small-scale projects and supply payments promoted by each department and community service centers will also be paid in full before the holiday.
The district also encourages advance payment applications before the holiday. Companies eligible for advance payments will be guided to apply for up to 80% of the contract amount in advance, and efforts will be made to ensure smooth funding for qualified companies.
Park Hye-sook, head of Yeongdeungpo-gu’s Finance Department, said, “In the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and rising prices, we decided to promptly pay construction payments before Chuseok to help small businesses overcome financial difficulties,” adding, “Yeongdeungpo-gu will take the lead in fostering coexistence between companies and workers and revitalizing the local economy.”
Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) has prepared a second supplementary budget proposal for the second half of the year amounting to 75.6 billion KRW and submitted it to the Gwanak-gu Council.
This supplementary budget was urgently prepared in response to the ongoing difficulties in the livelihood economy due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need to support residents affected by sudden flood damage, achieved through active cooperation from the district council.
The district plans to focus the budget intensively on projects that residents can immediately feel, emphasizing ‘livelihood support’ such as ▲resolving resident inconveniences and safety ▲expanding living infrastructure ▲supporting local economic revitalization and major pending projects ▲supporting vulnerable groups.
First, 15 billion KRW was urgently allocated as an advance payment budget for emergency restoration costs for housing flood damage. This is to provide emergency restoration funds from the district budget before national funds are disbursed to support residents’ daily recovery and stability.
Additionally, 600 million KRW for maintaining the ecological stream of Byeolbitnaerincheon, 600 million KRW for dredging river facilities and reinforcing road retaining walls, and a total of about 17 billion KRW will be invested in projects to prevent the spread of flood damage and in safety and inconvenience resolution such as 500 million KRW for renovating daycare centers and senior centers, and 800 million KRW for creating barrier-free ramps at the district sports ground.
To expand living infrastructure, 5 billion KRW will be invested in the construction fund for the joint resource recycling center of Gwanak and Dongjak, 225 million KRW for expanding public parking lots and living SOC facilities in the Euncheon-dong urban regeneration project, and 900 million KRW in the park and green space sector to improve park facilities and increase management personnel, aiming to improve residents’ living environment.
In particular, to support the livelihood economy further strained by flood damage, efforts will be made in local economic revitalization and pending projects. This includes 100 million KRW for interest subsidies for policy fund loans to small and medium enterprises (small business owners) affected by flood damage, 50 million KRW for marketing to help recover sales at three traditional markets severely damaged by flooding, and 20 million KRW for events to attract customers to the top 10 shopping streets in each zone, aiming to invigorate the stagnant local economy.
Major pending projects will also be accelerated with 1.2 billion KRW for the shortfall in the construction budget for the Senior Citizens’ Hall and 50 Plus Center, 200 million KRW for supporting youth facility consignment operations, and 380 million KRW for remodeling the health center (dementia and mental health centers).
A total of 8.7 billion KRW will be invested in support for vulnerable groups, including 1.43 billion KRW for emergency welfare, 1.86 billion KRW for livelihood benefits, 1.37 billion KRW for housing benefits, and 2.38 billion KRW for disability activity support benefits, strengthening resident welfare and social safety nets.
Park Jun-hee, mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “We hope residents suffering from flood damage and the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic can return to their daily lives as soon as possible,” adding, “We will make every effort to provide emergency restoration funds as quickly as possible before Chuseok to help residents overcome the disaster.”
Dongjak-gu (District Mayor Park Il-ha) has urgently prepared an 8 billion KRW supplementary budget and is actively securing resources.
This one-point supplementary budget was prepared with a scale of 8 billion KRW to promptly provide disaster relief funds to households affected by flooding.
The district plans to prioritize paying disaster relief funds of 2 million KRW per household to households affected by flooding before Chuseok.
The supplementary budget will be finalized after review by the Dongjak-gu Council during the temporary session from the 29th to the 6th of next month.
Along with this, the district secured an additional 4 billion KRW from the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Disaster Management Fund on the 25th.
The secured funds will be used urgently for emergency recovery due to flood damage.
The district also secured 3 billion KRW from the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Special Adjustment Grant and 900 million KRW from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Disaster Special Grant on the 10th.
Additionally, the district is concentrating all administrative capabilities to be additionally selected as a special disaster area through thorough damage investigation.
Even if designated as a special disaster area, direct financial support such as disaster relief funds will not increase, but in addition to 18 benefits such as national tax payment exemptions provided in general disaster areas, 12 indirect support items including communication and electricity fee reductions can be additionally received.
Park Il-ha, mayor of Dongjak-gu, said, “This supplementary budget was prepared to promptly provide disaster relief funds,” adding, “We will execute the budget quickly once confirmed to minimize resident inconvenience and make every effort to secure additional resources.” He also stated, “We are reviewing additional support plans unique to Dongjak-gu besides government disaster relief funds.”
Guro-gu (District Mayor Moon Heon-il) is accelerating the payment of disaster relief funds for residents affected by housing flood damage due to heavy rain.
The district explained that a total of 2,458 cases of housing flood damage were reported due to the recent heavy rain, and disaster relief funds are being paid without delay for 2,003 cases entered into the National Disaster Management System (NDMS).
From the start of payments on August 17 to 6 p.m. on the 30th, a total of 1.215 thousand households, accounting for 60.7% of all eligible recipients, have received 2 million KRW each, totaling 2.43 billion KRW.
The district expects to complete payments for pre-application cases before the Chuseok holiday at the current pace. This reflects Mayor Moon’s determination that disaster relief funds must be paid promptly for the quick recovery of affected residents.
Flood damage to commercial buildings, factories, and traditional markets will be paid sequentially according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s budget allocation schedule.
Also, considering the recovery status of flood-damaged houses for evacuees in temporary shelters, the district is thoroughly taking measures to prevent secondary damage such as extending shelter stays until residents can return home, flood waste disposal, and disinfection.
Guro-gu office employees voluntarily participated in fundraising to support evacuees.
From August 18 to 24, 1,349 employees from 59 departments participated in the ‘Heavy Rain Damage Neighbor Support Fundraising’ with the spirit of sharing difficulties, raising about 12 million KRW.
The collected funds will be used for flood damage recovery and evacuee support in Guro-gu through the Community Chest of Korea.
Moon Heon-il, mayor of Guro-gu, said, “I hope the warm hearts comforting affected residents through the employees’ fundraising will spread from the public to the private sector and throughout our society,” adding, “We will do our best to prepare more delicate and detailed support measures so that evacuees can return to their daily lives as soon as possible.”
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