Seoul City "Walking with the Vulnerable, 62.8 Trillion Won Invested by 2026"

'Social Value Connect 2023' Seminar Held
"Designing and Restructuring All Policies from the Perspective of the Vulnerable"

Seoul City will invest 62.8 trillion won by 2026 in connection with Mayor Oh Se-hoon's core administrative philosophy of 'Walking Together with the Vulnerable.' Considering that the related budget this year was 13.2 trillion won, approximately 50 trillion won will be additionally invested over the next three years. Along with this, the currently developing Vulnerable Coexistence Index and indicators will be announced soon and utilized in policy-making.

On the 15th, Kim Tae-hee, head of Seoul City's Vulnerable Coexistence Promotion Team, attended 'Social Value Connect 2023 (SOVAC)' held at the Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul and stated, "Since COVID-19, inequality and polarization gaps in various countries have reached the highest levels ever recorded in statistics," adding, "Now, even from the perspective of social integration, if sustainability is not considered, our society will reach a point where it cannot continue to exist."

Kim Tae-hee, Head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Accompaniment with the Disabled Promotion Team, is giving a keynote speech at 'Social Value Connect 2023 (SOVAC)' held at the Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul on the 15th. Photo by Kiho Sung kihoyeyo@

'Walking Together with the Vulnerable' is a core administrative philosophy proposed by Mayor Oh. The 'Ordinance for the Expansion and Activation of the Value of Vulnerable Coexistence in Seoul' defines the vulnerable as 'individuals or groups who require active consideration due to restrictions in fair opportunity access caused by economic poverty or inherent physical, mental, social, economic, or technological factors.' Supporting the vulnerable to enjoy basic services and rights in major areas of life is what is meant by 'vulnerable coexistence.'

Kim introduced the detailed budget for 'Walking Together with the Vulnerable' through 2026 as follows: ▲Livelihood 34.82 trillion won ▲Housing 13.83 trillion won ▲Medical and Health 11.31 trillion won ▲Education and Culture 940 billion won ▲Safety 1.88 trillion won. He emphasized, "Seoul City is designing and restructuring all policies from the perspective of the vulnerable," adding, "We are establishing an institutional foundation to spread the value of this coexistence."

First, in the livelihood sector, there are plans to accelerate the promotion of 'Seoul Basic Income' to eliminate welfare blind spots. The pilot project for basic income expanded its target from 500 households last year to 1,600 households this year. It is a system that supports 50% of the shortfall compared to 85% of the median income, characterized as a bottom-up income guarantee system that provides more support the lower the income. Kim explained, "Seoul City's basic income project is designed so that recipients can voluntarily work," adding, "Because selective support allows more funds to be distributed to those in need, the effect of reducing inequality is greater."

Additionally, to support youth preparing for independence, the independence allowance will be increased from 350,000 won to 400,000 won per month over five years, and the settlement support fund will be raised from 10 million won to 15 million won.

In housing, efforts will be made to improve both the quantity and quality of rental housing by expanding the supply of high-quality rental homes. By 2026, 117,000 public housing units will be supplied, and this year, 5,250 semi-basement homes will be purchased and renovated. Support for monthly rent and rental deposit interest for youth and newlyweds will also be provided.

In medical and health, plans include expanding 928 public medical beds to increase the annual number of patients treated by 1 million. The number of public medical beds will increase from the current 3,820 to 4,748 by 2026, and the annual number of patients treated will rise from 3.1 million to 4.1 million.

In education and culture, the 'Seoul Learn' project will be further expanded to provide fair educational opportunities through learning support for vulnerable students. This project supports learning management through various learning contents and 1:1 university student mentoring for those below 50% of median income, out-of-school youth, multicultural youth, and North Korean defectors. Seoul Learn plans to expand to 85% of median income after next year and aims for a cumulative enrollment of 70,000 by 2026.

In the safety sector, the 'AI Check-in Service' for safety-vulnerable groups such as single-person households will be expanded from 14,000 people this year to 42,000 by 2026, and the 'Our Neighborhood Care Group' will increase from 1,200 people this year to 1,800 by 2026.

Kim stated, "Currently, there are 10,000 'Deafblind' people nationwide who cannot see or hear, and in Seoul, there are 1.32 million people with borderline intelligence," adding, "Seoul City will continuously discover new blind spots and build a foundation through 'Walking Together with the Vulnerable.'"

Meanwhile, at the seminar held that day, Professor Han Jun from Yonsei University's Department of Sociology presented on 'Walking Together with the Vulnerable for Social Integration,' and Kim Seung-yeon, a research fellow at the Seoul Institute, gave a presentation on 'New Social Risks and Seoul's Response' related to the development of the Vulnerable Coexistence Index and indicator system. Additionally, Professor Ko Young-geon from Korea University's Department of Psychology, Professor Shin In-cheol from the University of Seoul, and Ham Eui-young, CEO of Peach Market, held a discussion on the theme 'A Society That Needs Coexistence.'