Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District (left), is listening to the concerns of members of the Mapo Disabled Welfare Center.
Mapo-gu Expands ‘Special Livelihood Support’ Not Only for Beneficiaries but Also for Low-Income Residents Facing Financial Hardship
Blocking Welfare Blind Spots through ‘Support for Arrears in Public Utility Charges and Health Insurance Premiums’
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Amid the harsh economic freeze tightening the grip on the livelihoods of ordinary citizens, the recent news of increases in public utility charges such as electricity, gas, and public transportation deepens the worries of low-income vulnerable groups.
Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Kang-su) recently announced that it will invest 292.05 million KRW of district funds to implement special livelihood protection projects and health insurance premium support projects to stabilize the lives of low-income vulnerable groups experiencing livelihood insecurity amid high interest rates and high inflation.
The special livelihood protection project for low-income residents expands support not only to beneficiaries under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act who require temporary assistance but also to low-income residents excluded from statutory support who need temporary aid due to sudden illness, accidents, or unemployment.
The support targets low-income residents with income within 70% of the median income and assets below 135 million KRW, providing special livelihood funds (once a year) or support for arrears in public utility charges (once every two years) equivalent to 15% of the 2023 median income.
Residents wishing to receive special livelihood funds or support for arrears in public utility charges can apply through the community service center of their jurisdiction, and support will be determined after a living condition survey and verification of eligibility.
Additionally, the district supports health insurance premiums and long-term care insurance premiums equivalent to the minimum monthly premium for regional health insurance subscribers aged 65 or older, disabled persons, and single-parent (grandparent-headed) households whose health insurance premiums correspond to the minimum monthly premium.
Although health insurance benefits are not immediately suspended for those who have overdue health insurance premiums unless their annual income exceeds 20 million KRW or assets exceed 100 million KRW, this support aims to prevent a blind spot in medical insurance caused by psychologically discouraged defaulters avoiding medical use.
The health insurance premium support project determines eligible recipients through cooperation between the district and the National Health Insurance Corporation, verifies qualifications, processes premium payments, and notifies recipients of the support details, so no separate application procedure is required.
Park Kang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and deepened economic recession hit low-income groups even harder during these difficult times. We will implement various customized welfare projects such as special livelihood protection and health insurance premium support to strengthen the welfare network protecting vulnerable groups.”
Gwanak-gu Provides Consolation Funds to Low-Income Households Ahead of Lunar New Year
Rapid Payment of Construction and Service Fees to Workers
Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) plans to provide Lunar New Year consolation funds to low-income households receiving basic livelihood security (living and medical benefits) and to shorten payment deadlines for facility construction and government-supplied materials, aiming to complete payments such as progress and completion payments by the 13th.
The consolation funds for low-income households are funded with 450 million KRW from Seoul City’s budget plus an additional 150 million KRW from the district, totaling 600 million KRW, to be distributed to about 15,000 households at 40,000 KRW per household by the 13th.
Payments will be made in bulk to the accounts of basic livelihood security households as of the payment reference date (January 3) without separate applications, and households newly selected as beneficiaries between the reference date and Lunar New Year will receive additional payments on February 3.
To prevent wage arrears for construction and service workers, progress and completion inspections will be conducted promptly, and thorough monitoring of the payment system will be enforced to avoid delays or non-payment, ensuring workers can enjoy a warm Lunar New Year.
A district official said, “We hope that providing consolation funds and payments for construction and services before the holiday will help low-income households and workers have a warm Lunar New Year.”
Geumcheon-gu Expands Eligibility for Veterans’ Honor Allowance
1,190 National Veterans Previously Excluded Due to Overlapping Allowance Restrictions Now Benefiting
Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) is expanding the eligibility for the veterans’ honor allowance to strengthen respect and support for national veterans.
In October last year, Geumcheon-gu amended the ordinance related to respect and support for national veterans to allow recipients of Seoul City veterans-related allowances, such as the honorary combat allowance, to also receive the Geumcheon-gu veterans’ honor allowance.
The amendment also removed the one-year residency requirement in Geumcheon-gu as a payment criterion, further enhancing respect for national veterans.
With the revised ordinance effective from January this year, 1,190 national veterans who were previously excluded from allowance payments due to overlapping restriction rules can now receive 50,000 KRW monthly as the Geumcheon-gu veterans’ honor allowance.
The allowance will be paid ex officio on the 24th of each month without separate applications, and recipients will be notified by mail. This expansion increases the number of beneficiaries to about 2,200.
National veterans who are not eligible for Seoul City veterans’ allowances and have not yet applied for the veterans’ honor allowance must visit their local community service center with their veteran ID (or bereaved family ID) and a copy of their bankbook to apply for the allowance.
Meanwhile, Geumcheon-gu increased the veterans’ honor allowance from 30,000 KRW in 2021 to 50,000 KRW starting in 2022.
Yoo Sung-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “The Republic of Korea exists today because of the dedication of national veterans. We will continue to strive to improve the welfare and respect for national veterans.”
Dongjak-gu Operates Free Legal Consultation Office…Helping with Legal and Tax Issues
Legal Consultations on the 2nd and 4th Mondays, Tax Consultations on the 3rd Tuesday of Every Month
Dongjak-gu (Mayor Park Il-ha) announced on the 10th that it will operate a ‘Free Legal Consultation Office’ to resolve residents’ difficulties caused by complex legal procedures.
Professional lawyers and tax accountants provide free consultations on legal procedures related to real estate, inheritance, claims and debts, family cases, criminal and personal disputes, as well as legal interpretations and remedies closely related to residents’ daily lives.
Notably, the number of tax consultations through the free legal consultation office doubled to 99 cases last year compared to the previous year, contributing to resolving residents’ tax concerns in daily life.
The ‘Free Legal Consultation Office’ operates legal consultations from 2 PM to 4 PM on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month, and tax consultations on the 3rd Tuesday.
Following the lifting of social distancing measures, consultations have shifted from phone to face-to-face, but phone consultations are available upon request.
Residents needing legal consultations can contact the Civil Affairs and Passport Division to make a reservation before visiting.
Park Il-ha, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, said, “This will greatly help resolve legal concerns in daily life and protect residents’ rights. We will continue to do our best to provide resident-centered administrative services.”
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