Support for 19-39-Year-Old Youths Newly Independent in Seongdong-gu
Up to 200,000 KRW for Essential Goods Purchase
Moving Vehicle Support, Psychological Counseling, Employment and Startup Assistance, and Various Policies for Stable Youth Independence
Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeong Wono) is promoting the "Youth's First Independent Single-Person Household Essential Goods Purchase Support Project" to help young people aged 19 to 39 (born between 2005 and 1985) who move into Seongdong-gu and become single-person household heads for the first time settle in stably.
Youths who become independent for the first time, such as university students, job seekers, and early career workers, have a weak economic base and thus feel the impact of rising prices more acutely.
According to the "2022 Youth Life Survey" conducted by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the average monthly living expenses for young single-person households are 1.61 million KRW, with food expenses accounting for 480,000 KRW, the highest proportion among expenditure items.
Accordingly, Seongdong-gu is launching a support project this year for young single-person households who become household heads for the first time in their lives to help purchase essential goods.
The support target is youths aged 19 to 39 who moved from other cities or districts to Seongdong-gu after December 1, 2023, and formed an independent household for the first time. They must have been registered residents in Seongdong-gu for more than three months and continuously reside there, be homeless, and meet all requirements of having a median income of 120% or less.
If the requirements are met, 200,000 KRW will be provided for purchasing essential goods (limited to food, kitchen, bathroom, residential goods, and small furniture). After pre-purchasing within the support limit, applicants can be reimbursed for the amount spent upon submitting purchase receipts as proof.
The application period is from the 1st to the 10th of every month, with the first application accepted on March 1. Applications can be made through the Seongdong-gu Office website under Seongdong Participation - Event Registration.
When applying, applicants must prepare ▲ family relation certificate (based on parents) ▲ copy of lease contract ▲ local tax non-taxation certificate by item ▲ health insurance qualification confirmation (notification) and payment confirmation ▲ proof of essential goods purchase expenses (only card receipts or cash receipts accepted) ▲ copy of bankbook. (However, March applicants must submit a resident registration certificate and a transcript showing all address history.)
After verifying residency requirements and eligibility, the payment decision will be made, and the support fund will be deposited into the individual's account on the 25th of the application month (or the next business day if it falls on a holiday).
Youths becoming single-person households for the first time are likely to experience social isolation as they physically separate from existing social networks or enter society. Therefore, Seongdong-gu is undertaking various projects to support the stable settlement of independent households, psychological counseling, and youth self-reliance such as employment and entrepreneurship.
Notably, the district operates a moving vehicle support project for youths living in or moving to the area. For small moves involving fewer than 20 boxes (based on Korea Post boxes size 5-6), vehicle and transportation support is provided. This practical assistance reduces the burden of moving costs and manpower, resulting in high satisfaction among youths.
Other initiatives include operating the youth job cafe "Youth Ildabang," providing half-price brokerage fee support for single-person households and Hanyang University (female) students when signing rental contracts, and running the MZ Mind Counseling Center to help youths develop healthy mental well-being, reflecting diverse youth needs with tailored policies.
Seongdong-gu operated the first youth administrative experience group in Seoul's autonomous districts in the first half of this year without academic restrictions. The eligibility, previously limited to university students, was removed to allow any youth aged 19 to 29 to participate regardless of academic background. It is planned to continue in the second half of the year to support youths' healthy social independence.
Jeong Wono, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, "We will continue to provide meticulous, customized support so that youths who become single-person households independent from their parents can warmly plan their lives within the embrace of family and local community. We will also continue to cheer on youths' futures through practical policies that are useful in daily life."
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