Gyeonggi Province is moving forward with a plan to provide "Daily Life Recovery Support Funds" to victims of natural and social disasters, and to designate cities and counties with severe damage as "Special Support Zones" in order to support recovery costs.
On May 30, Gyeonggi Province announced that it would implement this "Gyeonggi-Style Disaster Recovery Support System" to strengthen practical support for victims, in response to the increasing risks of the climate crisis and compound disasters.
Gyeonggi Province will be the first in the nation to introduce the Daily Life Recovery Support Fund. This fund will provide additional support, funded entirely by the province, in cases where large-scale damage occurs due to unusual natural disasters, separate from the existing disaster relief funds. The specific criteria and amounts for support are still under review, and the financial resources will be drawn from the Disaster Relief Fund and the general budget (including contingency funds).
Additionally, the province is considering introducing a "Special Support Zone" system, which would provide provincial funding for recovery costs in cities and counties that face significant difficulties because they are unable to receive additional central government support after large-scale disasters.
When an area is declared a Special Disaster Zone, it becomes eligible for additional central government support. However, cities and counties that have suffered significant damage but do not meet the current requirements for designation as a Special Disaster Zone or for central government support?due to the limited scope of facility damage?must bear the full cost of recovery themselves.
In response, Gyeonggi Province plans to improve the relevant system so that cities and counties with large-scale damage but limited financial resources can be designated as Special Support Zones, allowing the province to allocate its own funds to ease the recovery cost burden.
The province will prioritize the use of the Disaster Management Fund as a financial resource, and will also consider using contingency funds or special grants if necessary. If this system is implemented, it is expected to provide prompt recovery support for local governments with difficult financial conditions and offer practical help in stabilizing the lives of residents.
Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Now that climate disasters have become a part of daily life, it is time to push forward with realistic and bold support policies to establish a recovery system that protects the lives of our residents." He added, "We will work together with the provincial council to create a recovery support system that residents can truly feel."
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