Dongjak District Ranks No. 1 in Seoul for 10 Consecutive Years in Health Insurance Premium Support for Low-Income Residents

4 Billion Won Invested Last Year to Support 26,000 Households

Dongjak District in Seoul (District Mayor Park Ilha) announced on January 21 that it has ranked first among Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts for ten consecutive years in the scale of its National Health Insurance premium support program for low-income residents.

View of Dongjak District Office. Provided by Dongjak District Office.

Since 2009, the district has fully subsidized monthly insurance premiums for legally recognized low-income households that pay the minimum health insurance premium or less, specifically for households with members who are aged 65 or older, single-parent families, registered persons with disabilities, or individuals with chronic illnesses. The minimum health insurance premium refers to the lowest amount that all subscribers are required to pay.

Last year, the district allocated approximately 400 million won from its budget to support a total of 26,723 households, the largest scale among all Seoul districts. Over the past ten years, Dongjak District has maintained the top position in both budget allocation and the number of supported households in Seoul.

The district cited its "proactive beneficiary outreach" as the key to its success. It explained that the positive results were not simply due to a large number of eligible residents, but rather to the district’s comprehensive and meticulous support for all low-income residents living within its jurisdiction. Through this approach, Dongjak District has prevented cases where individuals postpone medical treatment or become excluded from the healthcare system due to financial difficulties, thereby improving healthcare access for vulnerable groups.

The district plans to further expand both the scope of eligible recipients and the amount of support, based on its ongoing partnership with the National Health Insurance Service.

Park Ilha, Mayor of Dongjak District, stated, "Supporting health insurance premiums is a crucial welfare policy directly tied to the quality of life for low-income residents," adding, "We will continue to strengthen welfare programs so that all residents can access medical services with peace of mind."