Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon met and encouraged the first beneficiary of the ‘Gyeonggi Province Caregiving SOS Project,’ which supports caregiving expenses of up to 1.2 million KRW per person annually without any limit on the number of times, to ease the financial burden of elderly caregiving.
On the 7th, Governor Kim met beneficiary Mr. A (73) and his spouse Mrs. B (73) at a nursing hospital in Suwon, where he explained the Gyeonggi Province Caregiving SOS Project and discussed the difficulties of caregiving.
Mr. A has required continuous caregiving since being diagnosed in 2012 with unspecified hydrocephalus and a brain tumor, resulting in walking disabilities, cognitive decline, and visual impairment. Mrs. B has been the primary caregiver for the past 13 years and is experiencing severe physical and mental hardships due to the reality of needing 24-hour care. Especially, having to handle nighttime caregiving alone has made normal economic activities impossible.
On this day, Mrs. B appealed to Governor Kim about issues such as unpaid living expenses and the burden of hospital and funeral costs, saying, "I am able to work but cannot work, and there are too many restrictions, which is very difficult."
In response, Governor Kim said, "We will comprehensively review all possible ways to help, including medical insurance and employment issues, and find the best way to assist you. Although everything cannot be resolved at once, we will find a way so that it does not cause any inconvenience, so please stay strong," offering words of comfort.
Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is talking with a caregiver at a nursing hospital in Suwon on the 7th. Photo by Gyeonggi Province
He then instructed Welfare Director Kim Hana, who was present, to "work with city and county governments to promote solutions for other difficulties that most applicants like Mr. A may have."
The Gyeonggi Province Caregiving SOS Project is a system that supports caregiving expenses of up to 1.2 million KRW annually for low-income elderly people aged 65 and over. Gyeonggi Province began accepting applications for the project on the 20th of last month, and after reviewing caregiving verification documents and other assessments, confirmed Mr. A as the first beneficiary on the 4th.
The Caregiving SOS Project currently involves 15 cities and counties, including Hwaseong, Namyangju, and Gwangmyeong. Those in need of support can apply at their local eup, myeon, or dong administrative welfare centers. From the 17th, applications will also be accepted online through Gyeonggi Minwon 24.
Caregiving expenses incurred from 2025 onward will be supported up to 1.2 million KRW annually without any limit on the number of times, which is expected to alleviate the caregiving cost burden for residents and provide families exhausted from caregiving with an opportunity to temporarily restore their daily lives.
Meanwhile, on the same day in the morning, Governor Kim Dong-yeon presented the vision for the National Caregiving Responsibility System, stating, "The tragedy where the moment one person collapses, the life of the entire family stops right there must be resolved by the state." He proposed the ‘Four Major Strategies of the National Caregiving Responsibility System,’ which include incorporating caregiving benefits into the National Health Insurance medical aid items, expanding home medical care and home care infrastructure, introducing a 365-day day and night caregiving system, and improving the treatment of caregivers.
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