Youth and Child Universal Welfare, Funeral Incentives... Osan City's Close-Contact Welfare Draws Attention

Expansion from Selective Welfare to Universal Welfare Across the Life Cycle
Lee Gwonjae: "Welfare is a Right for All Citizens"

Osan City in Gyeonggi Province is attracting attention this year with various life-oriented welfare policies. The aim is to establish a detailed welfare network according to the life cycle, regardless of age or circumstances.

According to Osan City on the 16th, the city has been implementing new welfare policies this year targeting various age groups, including female adolescents and children.

Osan City is promoting various new policies to move beyond selective welfare toward universal welfare throughout the entire life course. Mayor Lee Gwon-jae of Osan City is visiting an elementary school in the area to congratulate the new students. Photo by Osan City

First, starting this year, the city is providing all female adolescents aged 11 to 18 with 14,000 KRW in local currency every month. Regardless of income or living conditions, the policy aims to establish this as a 'universal right' so that adolescents can purchase sanitary products at major convenience stores.

This year, the city also introduced the 'Cremation Incentive' system for the first time. If a citizen who has been registered as a resident in Osan for more than six months passes away, up to 350,000 KRW is provided for cremation. The payment targets include stillborn babies, infants, and cremations for grave reopening. The city expects about 1,100 citizens to receive support through the cremation incentive.

The existing elementary school enrollment congratulatory money, which was focused on families with multiple children, has been expanded to include all students. Starting next month, the city will provide 100,000 KRW in local currency to 2,100 elementary school entrants in the district.

Policies to fill welfare gaps are also being expanded. The 'Anyone Care' project, which anyone in need of care can apply for regardless of income or age, is a representative example. Anyone Care consists of ▲daily care ▲accompaniment care ▲meal support, with fees applied differently according to income.

Lee Gwon-jae, mayor of Osan City, said, "Welfare is no longer something only for specific groups but a right that all citizens should enjoy in their daily lives." He added, "The city will move toward becoming a 'city that helps in life' through seamless welfare throughout the entire life cycle."