Eunpyeong-gu, Support to Overcome Winter Cold Waves
Heating Cost Support for Facilities for the Disabled, Daycare Centers, and Kindergartens
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced that it has prepared emergency support measures for small business owners and vulnerable groups who are struggling due to the winter cold wave, rising heating costs, and business deterioration caused by high interest rates, and will promptly secure and provide the necessary budget.
The district convened an emergency executive meeting chaired by the mayor on the morning of the 20th to prepare support measures for cold wave vulnerable groups and facilities.
The support measures include ▲ management support funds of 100,000 KRW each for about 10,000 small business owners renting premises ▲ heating cost support for facilities for the disabled, daycare centers, and kindergartens ▲ provision of cold weather gear for workers responding to the cold wave, with a budget of about 1.2 billion KRW planned.
In addition, the district has been implementing various support measures to respond to the cold wave, such as providing heating supplies for vulnerable groups, health management for elderly living alone and disabled persons, protection activities for the homeless, and spreading cold wave action guidelines through SNS.
Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said through this support measure, "I hope this will be of some help to the cold wave vulnerable groups and small business owners who are enduring a harsh winter due to rising heating costs."
Jung-gu Provides 2.2 Billion KRW Support for Over 13,000 Cold Wave Vulnerable Households and 101 Facilities
Full Support of 100,000 KRW per Household for About 1,700 Welfare Gap and Near-Poverty Households
60,000 KRW Support for Eco-Friendly Boiler Replacement for Vulnerable Groups, 200,000 KRW for General Residents
Seoul Jung-gu (Mayor Kim Gil-sung) will invest a budget of about 2.2 billion KRW, including national and city funds, for heating cost support and special cold wave response for over 13,000 cold wave vulnerable households and 101 facilities.
The district held an emergency 'Cold Wave Response Vulnerable Group Countermeasure Meeting' on the 27th to reduce the burden on residents struggling with the cold wave and soaring heating costs by deciding on special support for heating costs for vulnerable groups.
At the meeting, Mayor Kim Gil-sung urged, "We will thoroughly check to ensure there are no blind spots in support, including vulnerable groups lacking government assistance."
Accordingly, 1,393 welfare gap households with middle income below 50% and 267 low-income disabled persons will receive 100,000 KRW per household.
The total support amount of about 170 million KRW will be fully funded by the district as a contingency budget. Heating cost support of 100,000 KRW for 4,983 basic livelihood security recipients will be specially supported with city funds.
In addition to emergency support, support for replacing home eco-friendly boilers will be expanded. Judging that this is a fundamental measure for reducing heating costs and protecting the environment, the support for vulnerable groups will be 600,000 KRW, and the support for general households will be increased from 100,000 KRW to 200,000 KRW. The additional support amount of 160 million KRW will be fully funded by the district and included in the supplementary budget.
The district will also actively seek out crisis households in the energy blind spots. Community leaders and neighborhood office staff will proactively identify low-income households with overdue electricity and fuel bills to prevent residents' crisis situations.
Furthermore, as the scale of various existing support programs expands, the district will carefully check repeatedly until March to ensure no eligible recipients are missed.
First, monitoring of priority management households for cold wave preparedness will be strengthened. When a cold wave advisory is issued, all district employees will conduct one-on-one checks within 48 hours for 2,103 individuals including elderly living alone, disabled persons, and chronic patients, providing welfare service linkage such as visiting nurses if needed, along with heating cost support guidance.
Proactive support for fuel costs using existing emergency welfare systems will also be promoted. If a crisis situation is confirmed among cold wave vulnerable groups, emergency support procedures will be followed to provide up to 500,000 KRW for electricity bills and up to 110,000 KRW for gas bills per month.
The district will also seek new eligible recipients for the energy voucher program, finding residents who are eligible but have not applied and proceeding with payment procedures.
Additionally, heating costs, electricity bills, blankets, etc., worth 70,000 to 100,000 KRW per household have been delivered through donations and sponsorships.
Heating cost support for daycare centers and senior centers will also be expanded. Previously, only 14 daycare centers without government support received 100,000 to 300,000 KRW monthly, but the target has been expanded to 41 centers, supporting the increased actual expenses compared to the previous year. For 32 senior centers receiving 370,000 KRW monthly heating cost support, Seoul City will add 148,000 KRW monthly for five months, with the district covering the shortfall fully.
Safety inspections and cold wave response for 30 traditional markets and 10 alley-type shopping districts will be strengthened. Anticipating increased use of electric heaters, the district has requested self-safety inspections in the electricity and gas sectors and instructed that cold wave shelters be open to customers and merchants at all times.
Housing environment improvement projects will also proceed swiftly. In addition to the Jung-gu style home repair project fully funded by the district, energy efficiency improvement projects and rooftop housing performance improvement projects through public contests will help prevent cold wave damage. Support will be expanded through cooperation with neighborhood offices, housing welfare centers, and private organizations.
Mayor Kim Gil-sung said, "I am concerned as the severe cold wave and rising heating costs are worsening difficulties for vulnerable groups. Starting with this heating cost support, we will carefully check to ensure no residents in need are left behind."
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