Increase in Median Income Standard and Customized Benefits... Supporting Livelihoods
Medical Benefits for Low-Income Groups... Support for Self-Sufficiency and Asset Building
Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) is expanding customized welfare projects in line with government policies for the New Year 2025 to stabilize citizens' lives and livelihoods, focusing on supporting socially vulnerable groups and expanding welfare benefits.
◇ Increase in Median Income Standard... Expansion of Customized Benefits to Guarantee Basic Living in Line with Government Policies
The median income standard for 2025 has been expanded at the highest growth rate ever, increasing by 6.42% to 6,097,773 KRW for a four-person household compared to last year's 5,729,913 KRW. For single-person households, which account for about 74% of all beneficiary households including livelihood, medical, housing, and education benefits, the standard increased by 7.34% to 2,392,013 KRW from last year's 2,228,445 KRW.
Additionally, the automobile asset standard, which applies a general property conversion rate of 4.17%, has been relaxed to 2000cc and 5 million KRW, minimizing cases of disqualification due to excessive automobile asset standards. The livelihood benefit’s support obligation criteria have also been eased to an annual income exceeding 130 million KRW and assets exceeding 1.2 billion KRW, significantly expanding customized benefit support.
◇ Proactive Identification and Support for Elderly Poor Households, Expansion of Medical Benefits
The earned income deduction for the elderly has been expanded from age 75 to 65, applying a 30% deduction for general beneficiaries, resulting in an additional deduction of 200,000 KRW plus 30%. Furthermore, a new project linking and guiding livelihood benefits to elderly households with a recognized income of zero for the basic pension is being implemented, carefully advancing policies to alleviate elderly poverty.
To prevent welfare budget leakage due to excessive medical use, a differentiated co-payment system will be introduced for outpatient visits exceeding 365 times annually, increasing the patient's burden. To minimize beneficiaries' burden, the health maintenance allowance will be doubled (from 6,000 KRW to 12,000 KRW per month), and customized case management through Paju City’s medical benefit managers will be actively supported to improve citizens' quality of healthy life.
◇ Providing Work Opportunities and Supporting Asset Formation for Low-Income Groups
Through the entrusted operation of the Paju City Self-Support Center, work opportunities will be provided to low-income individuals with work ability to help them build a foundation for self-reliance. Asset formation support projects such as the Hope Savings Account aimed at the economic independence of low-income earners will be conducted alongside various educational programs to strengthen the economic independence and self-support capabilities of vulnerable groups.
Moreover, the “2025 Better Policy” guidebook will inform citizens about various welfare benefits under eased criteria, and the “Household Welfare News” will be published to provide information to digitally vulnerable groups, widely promoting the medical benefit support system, which can be perceived as complex.
Kim Eun-sook, Director of the Welfare Policy Bureau, stated, “We will strengthen customized welfare support to warmly and thoroughly embrace livelihoods by reflecting the newly changing welfare environment and significantly eased support standards. We will do our best to improve citizen welfare and the sense of benefit so that everyone can enjoy a ‘Happy Paju.’”
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