Number of Basic Livelihood Security Recipients in Gwangju Surpasses 100,000... Rising for Three Consecutive Years

Recipient Rate Exceeds National Average
Single-Person Households Concentrated Among Seniors and Middle-Aged Adults

The number of recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Security Program in Gwangju City has increased for three consecutive years.

According to statistics released by Park Mijeong, Gwangju City Council Member, during the Welfare and Health Bureau's administrative audit on November 4, the number of basic livelihood recipients in Gwangju rose from 96,473 in 2023 to 100,201 in 2024 and 103,388 in 2025, showing an increase each year.

Park Mijeong, Gwangju City Council Member.

The number of recipient households also increased by 8.6% over the same period, from 65,837 to 71,490. As of 2024, the recipient rate in Gwangju stood at 7.1%, higher than the national average of 5.2%, ranking third after North Jeolla Province (7.8%) and Busan (7.4%).

Among the 66,499 general recipient households in Gwangju, approximately 46,000 were single-person households, accounting for about 70%. By age group, middle-aged adults aged 40 to 64 made up the largest proportion with about 35,100 people (35.9%), followed by seniors aged 65 and over with about 31,800 people (32.5%), young adults aged 20 to 39 with 13,000 people (13.6%), and children and adolescents aged 19 and under with 17,000 people (17.9%).

By district, Buk-gu (33,826 people) and Gwangsan-gu (23,814 people) accounted for more than half of the total, followed by Seo-gu (18,911 people), Nam-gu (14,683 people), and Dong-gu (6,531 people).

Council Member Park stated, "The simultaneous intensification of youth isolation and elderly poverty is emerging as a new welfare challenge," adding, "It is necessary to review region-specific integrated care and livelihood support systems to enhance the effectiveness of the Basic Livelihood Security Program."

Meanwhile, as of 2025, the number of people supported by Gwangju City's livelihood benefit program is 65,931, and the number supported by the medical benefit program is 63,519, with the total support amount estimated at approximately 613 billion won.