Additional 23.1 Billion KRW Secured from National and City Funds... Total 34.1 Billion KRW Invested for 170,000 Households
Special Support for Long-term Care Institutions... Expanded Support for Daycare Centers and Senior Centers
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] At a time when the entire country is struggling due to an unusual cold wave and soaring heating costs, Gwangju Metropolitan City is the only city nationwide to provide emergency heating cost support to households raising infants aged 0 to 5.
Gwangju City (Mayor Kang Gijeong) announced on the 28th that it will urgently support a total of 34.1 billion KRW for 167,641 households (locations) to ease the heating cost burden for vulnerable groups and households raising children aged 0 to 5.
To ensure no blind spots, the support targets for energy-vulnerable groups have been significantly expanded to include long-term care institutions, daycare centers, and senior citizen centers.
This support aligns with government policies such as increased energy voucher support and gas bill discounts, but is characterized by its broad expansion to cover blind spots not reached by government aid.
The city secured an additional 23.1 billion KRW (5.7 billion KRW national funds, 17.4 billion KRW city funds) on top of existing projects for vulnerable groups and welfare facilities (6 projects, 11 billion KRW) to newly establish and expand 7 projects.
First, 3,7636 households including general basic livelihood security recipients and near-poverty groups excluded from energy voucher benefits will receive 7.5 billion KRW (200,000 KRW per household).
In particular, 46,223 households raising infants aged 0 to 5 will be supported with 9.3 billion KRW (200,000 KRW per household) to help families with young children have a warm winter.
The city plans to swiftly support heating costs for households raising infants by cooperating with the city council to urgently revise the ordinance providing the basis for support.
Additionally, 260 long-term care institutions struggling with the cold wave will receive a special heating cost support of 400,000 KRW each.
Existing projects supporting heating and cooling costs for daycare centers and heating costs for senior citizen centers will also be expanded.
Daycare centers, which were originally supported with 600,000 KRW annually for 890 locations, will have the target expanded to 940 locations with an additional 200,000 KRW support each. For 1,365 senior citizen centers, the existing annual support of 1,850,000 KRW will be increased by 200,000 KRW to 2,050,000 KRW.
Gwangju City plans to implement a three-month installment payment plan in cooperation with Marine Energy for about 44,000 hygiene businesses severely affected by rising heating costs.
Mayor Kang Gijeong of Gwangju said, “We will provide strong support to vulnerable groups to ensure no blind spots. Especially, through ordinance revision with the Gwangju City Council, we will uniquely expand heating cost support to general households raising children under 5 nationwide.”
He added, “In a situation where the economic crisis with high inflation and high interest rates is compounded by a cold wave, we will not stop our efforts toward citizens to ease the burden on struggling common people and overcome the crisis together.”
Meanwhile, Gwangju City announced the ‘2023 Gwangju Economy, Adding Assurance+’ economic policy and is promoting support policies for vulnerable groups such as low-income, youth, elderly, and small business owners with a priority on stabilizing people’s livelihoods.
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