Jinju City Provides '100,000 Won Emergency Heating Allowance' to Vulnerable Groups

Approximately 13,000 Basic Livelihood Security Recipients Households

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, announced on the 31st that it will provide emergency heating cost support of 100,000 KRW each to about 13,000 basic livelihood security households struggling with this winter's cold wave and soaring heating expenses by February.

This emergency heating cost support is based on the "Jinju City Ordinance on Supporting the Living Stability of Low-Income Residents," and the city plans to invest 1.3 billion KRW entirely from city funds (contingency funds).

Jinju City's heating cost support is implemented separately from government energy voucher expansion or Gyeongsangnam-do's emergency support measures for heating-vulnerable groups, and overlapping benefits are possible. The city is considering providing the support on a household basis directly to existing welfare benefit accounts without a separate application.

Jinju City Hall, Gyeongnam.

Earlier, the government announced a temporary increase in energy voucher (usage coupon) support amounts for 1,176,000 households this winter from the existing 153,000 KRW to 277,000 KRW, and plans to double the gas bill discount for 1.6 million socially vulnerable households compared to before.

Gyeongsangnam-do also introduced emergency support measures, including injecting disaster relief funds to provide an additional 50,000 KRW to 70,000 households eligible for the energy voucher support program within the province.

Mayor Cho Gyu-il stated, "We decided to provide emergency heating cost support to help low-income vulnerable groups in the city who are struggling with increased living burdens due to soaring heating costs this winter," and added, "We will do our best to alleviate the difficulties faced by ordinary citizens struggling with heating expenses during the winter season."