Seongnam City to Identify and Support Crisis Households in Welfare Blind Spots Vulnerable to Cold Waves

Survey of 2,084 Households Including Those With Over Three Months of Unpaid Utility Bills

On January 12, Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province announced that it will identify and prioritize assistance for households in welfare blind spots that are particularly vulnerable to cold waves.

Seongnam City Hall exterior. Provided by Seongnam City.

To this end, the city will conduct phone or in-person surveys of 2,084 households listed in its welfare blind spot identification system by the end of March.

The survey targets include: 1,911 households whose electricity, water, or gas supply has been cut off due to utility bill arrears of three months or more; 50 housing-vulnerable households with a high rent-to-income ratio; and 123 high-risk single-person households aged 50 to 64 who have reported three or more crisis indicators such as financial delinquency.

After confirming the living conditions of these households, the city will provide prioritized public support according to each crisis situation, such as registering for basic livelihood security benefits, emergency welfare support including living expenses, and energy vouchers such as electricity bill reductions.

The city will also connect private donor resources, such as heating supplies and rice, to help maintain daily living.

This survey will be conducted through a public-private partnership involving officials from the 50 neighborhood offices in Seongnam, members of the local community welfare councils, and welfare facility workers.

Over the past year, the city investigated 12,097 households suspected of being in crisis using the same method, and provided support to 10,655 of them.

In June last year, Seongnam was selected as an outstanding local government in the 'Welfare Blind Spot Identification and Support City/County Evaluation' organized by Gyeonggi Province.

A city official stated, "As heating costs rise due to the cold wave, the difficulties faced by vulnerable groups are increasing," adding, "We will actively identify welfare blind spots to ensure that practical support is provided."