Seongbuk-gu, Comprehensive Guide to New and Changed Systems and Policies Starting in 2024... 23 New and Revised Items in 5 Major Areas... ▲Economy & Jobs ▲Welfare, Education & Health ▲Culture, Sports & Tourism ▲Environment & Hygiene ▲Administration & Resident Life... 2024 Seongbuk-gu Living Wage: 2,390,124 KRW/month (11,436 KRW/hour)... New Daily Care Service Project Supporting In-Home Care, Housework, Hospital Accompaniment, and Psychological Support for Middle-Aged Adults Needing Care and Family Care Youth
Seongbuk-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) is providing comprehensive guidance to Seongbuk residents on new or changed systems and policies implemented in the year of Gapjin 2024. The major changes in 2024 cover 23 projects across five key areas: ▲ Economy and Jobs ▲ Welfare, Education, and Health ▲ Culture, Sports, and Tourism ▲ Environment and Sanitation ▲ Administration and Residents' Life.
In the economy and jobs sector, the initiatives include ▲ Living wage increase ▲ Seongbuk-gu Hometown Love Donation System ▲ Minimum wage increase ▲ Salary increase for participants in the disabled employment project.
The living wage was first implemented nationwide by Seongbuk-gu in 2013. It is a wage system that guarantees a dignified life for workers. In 2024, the district will apply a living wage of 11,436 KRW, which is 15.98% (1,576 KRW) higher than the minimum wage (9,860 KRW) for employees affiliated with Seongbuk-gu Office.
The Seongbuk-gu Hometown Love Donation System promotes a healthy donation culture by activating individual donations and contributing to local finance expansion and regional economic revitalization. Donors receive local specialty return gifts worth about 30% of the donation amount. Return gifts include leather accessories and silk scarves from Seongbuk-gu sewing companies located in the Seoul Fashion Sewing Industry Center, movie tickets for Arirang Cine Center, and Seongbuk Love Gift Certificates, which donors can choose from.
In the welfare, education, and health sector, the changes include ▲ Introduction of daily care service project (voucher) ▲ Opening of Seongbuk-gu Seoul-style Kids Cafe ▲ Hosting of college entrance fairs ▲ Shingles vaccination ▲ Strengthening of livelihood and housing benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Program ▲ Increase in activity fees for senior jobs and social activity support projects ▲ Increase in basic pension amount for the disabled ▲ Increase in first meeting vouchers for second and subsequent children ▲ Increase in parental benefits ▲ Expansion of childcare support projects ▲ Expansion of college counseling office operations ▲ Expansion of designated non-smoking areas ▲ Expansion of support for multiple births in maternal and newborn health care.
The daily care service project (voucher) supports those who need daily life assistance, such as middle-aged and elderly people requiring care and young family caregivers, by providing services that alleviate difficulties in daily life, including home care and housekeeping, hospital accompaniment, and psychological support. Anyone in need of the service can use it regardless of income level, but depending on income, some or all of the service cost must be paid out-of-pocket. Applications can be submitted at the local community service center of the applicant's address.
The Seoul-style Kids Cafe is a public indoor children's play facility, with a total of five locations designated in Seongbuk-gu, opening sequentially from January. Children aged 0 to 9 and their guardians can use the facility. The usage fee is 2,000 KRW for children and 1,000 KRW for guardians. Reservations can be made through the Seoul Our Neighborhood Care Portal.
Starting in 2024, Seongbuk-gu Office and admissions officers from 12 universities will jointly hold college entrance fairs to provide accurate and diverse admission information through various consultations. High school students and examinees residing in Seongbuk-gu or attending schools in Seongbuk-gu can apply. The fairs are scheduled to take place from May to July. Applications can be made by making individual reservations through the Seongbuk-gu Office website (online lectures).
To promote equity in health care services for vulnerable groups, free shingles vaccinations will be provided. Residents of Seongbuk-gu aged 65 or older who are basic livelihood security recipients and have no prior history of shingles vaccination can apply. The vaccination is scheduled for March.
The first meeting voucher for the second and subsequent children will increase from 2 million KRW to 3 million KRW. The first child receives 2 million KRW, and the second and subsequent children receive 3 million KRW in vouchers. Vouchers can be used for up to one year from the child's birth date and are provided as points on the National Happiness Card. Applications can be made by visiting the local community service center, or online via Bokjiro or Government24.
Parental benefits for intensive care during early infancy will increase from 700,000 KRW to 1 million KRW for children aged 0, and from 350,000 KRW to 500,000 KRW for children aged 1. Payments are made monthly in cash, and for children attending daycare or full-day childcare, the difference excluding the voucher amount is paid.
The childcare support project, which previously only supported safe care for infants, will now also include dedicated caregivers for school commuting, sick children, and care for the first child when a second child is born. Support for caregivers during high-demand commuting hours is expected to help working couples balance work and family life and reduce the burden of caring for infants and sick children.
Support for multiple births in maternal and newborn health care will be expanded. Care for twins by two providers will be extended to 8 hours per day, and support for triplets or more will be extended up to 40 days. Voucher services are provided for visiting care providers to childbirth families in the district, offering maternal health care, newborn health care, and housekeeping support. Applications can be made online via Bokjiro or by visiting the public health center from 40 days before the expected delivery date until 30 days after delivery.
In the administration and residents' life sector, there are ▲ Support projects for local pet boarding facilities ▲ Changes in the deduction rate for annual automobile tax payments ▲ Increase in community leader allowances.
The local pet boarding support project assists vulnerable groups who have difficulties caring for their pets due to long-term outings or hospitalization. The project will run from March to December and provides temporary boarding care for up to 20 days.
Additionally, in the culture, sports, and tourism sector, there is ▲ Increased support for sports class vouchers for the disabled; in the environment and sanitation sector, there are ▲ Support for installation costs of natural flow septic tank odor reduction devices for the disabled ▲ Restrictions on motorcycle idling.
Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated to Seongbuk public officials, "We will actively promote to ensure that beneficiaries do not miss out on benefits due to lack of awareness." He also urged, "We hope Seongbuk residents take an interest in the new and changed systems and projects from the new year, carefully check the district website, SNS, and the newsletter Seongbuk Sori, and contact the listed numbers for any questions to make sure they receive the benefits available to them."
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