Ministry of the Interior and Safety's 'Check-in Mail Service Contest Project' Selects 100 Households in Crisis, Visits and Checks Twice a Month
Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) has been selected for the ‘Eupmyeondong Smart Welfare and Safety Service Public Contest Project’ and is partnering with Seoul Gangnam Post Office to identify middle-aged and elderly households in crisis.
The middle-aged population aged 40 to 64 accounts for 210,000 of Gangnam-gu’s total population of 540,000, making it the largest demographic group. As the most economically active age group, they have been excluded from welfare services traditionally focused on vulnerable groups such as infants and the elderly. However, last year, 60.7% (1,755 cases) of the total 2,892 applications for Gangnam-gu’s emergency welfare services were from the middle-aged group. Reasons for emergency welfare applications include the main income earner’s unemployment, injury, illness, and rent arrears. Without proper assistance during sudden crises, these households fall into a new welfare blind spot that can lead to isolation.
Since last year, the district has strengthened cooperation with Seoul Gangnam Post Office, which has been conducting welfare registered mail projects together, to build infrastructure for identifying isolated middle-aged households. To ensure more stable project operation, Gangnam-gu applied for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s ‘Eupmyeondong Smart Welfare and Safety Service Public Contest Project’ in 2024 and was the only autonomous district in Seoul to be selected. Combining national funding and sponsorship from the Post Office Public Interest Foundation, a total of 12 million KRW was secured, along with 2 million KRW support from the Gangnam Welfare Foundation, and various private resources such as corporate sponsorship and volunteer support from the Gangnam-gu Volunteer Center.
The district selected 100 middle-aged households in crisis that require regular welfare checks. These households include those experiencing social isolation, unemployment, or illness; those with family but facing care gaps due to lack of practical support; low-income vulnerable groups whose actual residence differs from their registered address; and households deemed by local welfare officers and neighborhood care groups to need regular welfare checks. Postal workers visit these individuals twice a month to deliver daily necessities and check on their well-being. If signs of crisis are detected, the post office notifies Gangnam-gu, which then provides necessary welfare services and connects them with other private organizations offering tailored support such as employment and housing for the middle-aged.
Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, expressed gratitude to Seoul Gangnam Post Office for readily participating despite the heavy postal workload, recognizing the importance of identifying households in crisis, and pledged to maintain close cooperation going forward. He also stated, “Anyone can become vulnerable if isolated during a sudden crisis. We will do our utmost to help middle-aged households in crisis to stand back up.”
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