Paju-si Launches Comprehensive Winter Protection Measures for Vulnerable Groups in 2024

Mayor Kim Gyeong-il "Leading Efforts to Minimize Welfare Blind Spots and Protect Vulnerable Groups"
Strengthening Safety Inspections of 1,054 Social Welfare Facilities for Winter Disaster Preparedness
Providing 980 Million Won in Winter Heating Allowance to 3,937 Households of Single Elderly and Severely Disabled Among Basic Livelihood Recipients

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) announced that it will implement a comprehensive winter welfare plan from the 9th of this month until March 15 of next year to protect vulnerable groups during the winter season. This plan aims to prepare for winter disasters and identify and support welfare blind spots, providing various measures for the safety and welfare of citizens.

Paju City is implementing a comprehensive winter welfare plan from the 9th to March 15 of next year to protect vulnerable groups during the winter season. Photo by Paju City

Paju City has established 19 detailed measures across five areas: ▲ Operation of the Winter Comprehensive Welfare Support Team ▲ Identification and support of welfare blind spots and vulnerable groups ▲ Strengthening care for single-person households, homeless people, and vulnerable elderly ▲ Prevention of winter safety accidents in welfare facilities ▲ Expansion of sharing culture and strengthening linkage with private resources.

The 'Winter Comprehensive Welfare Support Team,' led by the Director of the Welfare Policy Bureau and involving six departments related to welfare tasks, will focus on minimizing winter blind spots. The support team plans to analyze big data on crisis information to identify at-risk households and connect them with relevant welfare services. Additionally, efforts will be made to strengthen care support for high-risk single-person households, elderly, disabled, and vulnerable children and youth.

Furthermore, to prepare for winter disasters, Paju City will enhance safety inspections of 1,054 social welfare facilities and operate on-site inspection teams in cooperation with towns and townships for special protection of the homeless. These teams will conduct on-site inspections when cold wave warnings are issued to manage homeless people vulnerable to cold weather and assist them in entering nearby shelters if necessary.

To ensure a warm winter, heating costs totaling 980 million KRW will be provided to 3,937 households. Among basic livelihood security recipients, approximately 2,958 single elderly households will receive 740 million KRW, and about 979 households including those with severe disabilities will receive 240 million KRW. Additionally, 424 senior centers will be supported with 1.1 billion KRW, and 28 women and children facilities will receive 30 million KRW. Moreover, 1,233 vulnerable elderly protection targets will have their safety checked weekly through visits or twice-weekly welfare calls by nine dedicated welfare workers and 112 life support workers.

In addition, to promote a culture of donation, Paju City will strengthen private resource linkage through campaigns such as the Hope Sharing Campaign, installation of the Love Thermometer, and Love Hope Sharing fundraising broadcasts. In cooperation with the Community Chest of Korea, the city plans to support heating costs and other needs for vulnerable groups and small-scale social welfare facilities during winter.

Mayor Kim Kyung-il of Paju City stated, “We will strive to alleviate the economic burden of energy-vulnerable groups during winter and ensure a thicker and more thorough winter survival.” He added, “As the frequency of cold waves is expected to increase, we will actively lead efforts to protect vulnerable groups by strengthening public-private cooperation systems and minimizing welfare blind spots so that all citizens can enjoy a warm life.”