Ulsan City Helps Citizens Plan Their 'Second Act of Life'... Strengthening Tailored Support Systems for Old Age

First Steps for the Senior Academy, Record-High Senior Employment Opportunities
Focusing on Improving the Quality of Life for Seniors with Vibrancy and Sustainability

At a time when the pace of life slows down, Ulsan City is instead supporting its citizens as they embark on their second chapter of life.

Throughout 2025, Ulsan City has proactively strengthened its senior welfare policies to address the challenges of a super-aged society. The city has implemented a tailored support system that spans all aspects of daily life, culture, and health, resulting in tangible changes that seniors can experience in their everyday lives.

In particular, by reflecting the diverse needs of the elderly, Ulsan City has expanded its comprehensive welfare services beyond simple welfare support to include social activities, leisure, income assistance, and care, focusing on creating a vibrant environment for seniors in their later years.

Based on these policy initiatives, the city plans to continue creating an environment in 2026 where seniors can actively prepare for the next stage of their lives.

▲ Everyday Support for a Stable and Healthy Old Age, Including Basic Pensions

This year, Ulsan City expanded its senior welfare support by providing basic pensions, meal delivery for homebound seniors, and heating and cooling cost assistance for elderly-headed households, thereby significantly improving the quality of life for the elderly population.

In 2025, a total of 12,6950 seniors received 414.222 billion won in basic pensions. Meals were delivered to 853 low-income seniors with mobility difficulties, and heating and cooling cost support was provided to 3,327 individuals, further strengthening health management and welfare services for vulnerable seniors.

In 2026, the city plans to increase the basic pension budget by 33.837 billion won compared to this year and significantly expand the number of recipients, thereby increasing the basic income for seniors.

▲ Revitalizing the Ulsan Senior Elementary School and Establishing the Tentatively Named Ulsan Senior Academy

To help baby boomers and the elderly prepare for their second act in life within the community, Ulsan City opened the Ulsan Senior Elementary School in 2023 and has since offered a variety of educational programs.

This year, 176 participants graduated from five specialized fields between March and November, excluding four who dropped out, demonstrating a high completion rate.

Graduates have actively participated in community activities, such as supporting housing organization for vulnerable groups and training as garden docents for the Ulsan International Garden Expo, expanding their learning into practical action.

Next year, the city plans to recruit 180 participants for the fourth class in mid-January and continue operating five specialized subject classes.

As part of its social contribution initiatives, BNK Kyongnam Bank is constructing the tentatively named 'Ulsan Senior Academy' on city-owned land in Daldong, Nam-gu. The two-story facility is scheduled for completion and donation to the city by November 2027. Once completed, it is expected to become a specialized regional space where the senior generation can address learning, leisure, and financial planning all in one place.

▲ Implementing Customized Senior Welfare Policies for Active Seniors

Currently, Ulsan City operates 17 senior welfare centers, serving an average of 12,364 seniors daily.

In particular, the Ulsan Metropolitan City Second Municipal Senior Welfare Center, which opened in January, has met the welfare needs arising from rapid aging and contributed to the expansion of balanced welfare infrastructure in the region.

These welfare centers serve as integrated community spaces for welfare, health, education, and communication, offering lifelong learning programs such as language and literature, cooking, information technology, and health and sports. Through the operation of senior dining halls, nutritionally balanced meals are provided to 7,692 seniors daily, supporting their physical and emotional health.

In 2026, the city plans to expand the community space functions of senior welfare centers, solidifying their role as comprehensive welfare hubs for healthy and happy aging. In addition, 3.7 billion won will be allocated to 37 senior dining halls to address concerns about senior malnutrition.

Furthermore, to transform senior community centers from simple rest areas into digital service hubs accessible to all generations, 101 AI-powered 'Happy e-Eumteo' senior centers will be selected and fully operational from the second half of 2026.

▲ The Festival Completed by the Lives of Seniors and the Empathy of Youth: '99·88! Ulsan March of Youth'

The '99·88! Ulsan March of Youth' festival, now in its second year, has established itself as Ulsan's leading intergenerational event, combining the life stories of seniors with the empathy of the younger generation.

Notably, 94% of visitors responded as 'satisfied or above,' and citizen satisfaction was very high across all aspects of the event, including its composition, convenience facilities, and intergenerational programs. As a result, over 57,000 people participated in this year's festival.

Building on these results, Ulsan City will further expand policies in 2026 to enable seniors to participate more joyfully and actively. A new '99·88, Senior Youth Trip' program, a healing and experiential travel initiative for seniors, will be introduced and operated twice a year to enhance vitality in daily life.

▲ Improving the Quality and Expertise of Senior Employment Programs

This year, Ulsan City expanded specialized senior employment opportunities that leverage the experience and capabilities of the elderly, with 17,143 participants in 262 project groups across five districts.

In 2026, the city will allocate a total project budget of 87.7 billion won to senior employment programs, engaging 18,584 participants. This represents an increase of 11.9 billion won and 1,441 jobs compared to 2025.

Additionally, the number of institutions implementing senior employment programs will be increased by two to a total of 33, further enhancing the quality and expertise of these initiatives.

▲ Expanding and Upgrading Senior Care Facilities to Ensure Safety

This year, Ulsan City provided a total of 1 billion won to 10 senior care facilities for safety window installations and evacuation slide repairs to prevent fires. In 2026, the city plans to support six facilities with a total of approximately 600 million won to create a safer and more comfortable environment.

In addition, the city provided allowances to improve the working conditions of healthcare and welfare facility staff and prevent turnover. In 2026, 1.5 billion won will be allocated to continue stable staffing and improve working conditions for employees.

▲ Restructuring and Expanding the 'Ulsan-Type Senior Care Support Platform' Project

Starting this year, Ulsan City restructured the existing 'Home-Based Senior Support Service Project' into the 'Senior Care Support Platform' project. Through 17 platforms, 1,500 vulnerable seniors in welfare blind spots received daily living support, professional case management (such as depression or alcohol dependence treatment), counseling, and sponsorship and partnership services.

Counseling, sponsorship connections, and hospital accompaniment services were also strengthened. Accessibility was improved through the newly established senior-dedicated one-stop information hotline, and the discovery of welfare blind spots was enhanced in collaboration with honorary social welfare officials.

Furthermore, with the implementation of the integrated care project in 2026, welfare services will be further strengthened through community service linkages, and the city plans to promote the role of the Ulsan-style integrated care model.

▲ Strengthening the Substance of Age-Friendly Ulsan and Preparing for the Third WHO Re-Certification

Ulsan City is further strengthening its age-friendly city policies to proactively respond to the super-aged society.

The second phase of the age-friendly city plan (2023-2027) is being implemented without delay, with ongoing efforts to improve residential conditions, expand employment, and support health and care.

From 2026, the city will begin preparations in earnest for the third phase (2028-2032) of World Health Organization (WHO) age-friendly city re-certification. In addition, a new 'Ulsan Metropolitan City Old Age Preparation Support Implementation Plan (2026-2030)' will be established in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Welfare's third master plan, providing a more systematic and comprehensive support system from old age life planning to welfare service connections.

Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom stated, "Ulsan City has provided comprehensive welfare services tailored to the changing needs of the senior generation," adding, "Next year, we will identify and implement even more advanced senior welfare projects to help seniors prepare for their second act in life with hope."