[Feature] Hwasun County to Operate Welfare Task Force... "Identifying Households in Crisis Blind Spots"

Strengthening Community Welfare
Implementing a Field-Oriented Welfare System

The training session for the welfare task force officers in charge of towns and townships in our neighborhood. Provided by Hwasun County

On February 2, Hwasun County in South Jeolla Province announced that it will fully implement the "Neighborhood Welfare Task Force" initiative in 2026, further strengthening its field-oriented welfare system to proactively identify and support households in crisis.

Last year, the Welfare Task Force provided practical, everyday welfare services to 728 households and 897 individuals, proving its effectiveness. This year, the county plans to accelerate its response to households in crisis and vulnerable groups, and expand tailored welfare services that can be directly felt in the field.

◆ Rapid Resolution of Everyday Inconveniences

Throughout 2025, the Welfare Task Force delivered welfare services closely tied to residents' daily lives, including small-scale repairs and maintenance, improvements to living environments, safety inspections of aging homes, and emergency support for living expenses and medical costs.

In particular, the task force supported a total of 686 households in improving their living conditions, such as replacing old lighting, repairing water leaks, and changing wallpaper and flooring. Additionally, for 42 households facing sudden crises, the task force provided emergency living expenses and medical support through stabilization grants.

The prioritization of swift on-site response over complicated procedures has resulted in high resident satisfaction and is recognized as having made a substantial contribution to addressing welfare blind spots.

◆ Protecting Households in Crisis During Winter

From November last year through February this year, the county has been collaborating with the Hwasun Fire Station’s 119 Life Safety Patrol to implement the "Winter Crisis Household 1 Member 3 Neighbor Monitoring Project."

This project targets 660 households vulnerable to cold waves, providing life safety education, fire prevention inspections, and safety kits to proactively prevent welfare blind spots during the winter season.

Through close collaboration with field-based organizations, the county has expanded both the speed and scope of its response to households in crisis, building a more robust welfare and safety net-an achievement considered significant.

◆ Gathering Field Opinions

To enhance the effectiveness of the Welfare Task Force, Hwasun County held a meeting on January 30 with 16 team leaders and officers from the township-level task forces.

During the meeting, participants shared the 2026 operational guidelines for the Welfare Task Force, reviewed evaluation indicators for the 2025 operations, and discussed the performance assessment system for 2026 in advance, seeking a more systematic approach to operations.

In particular, through communication with frontline practitioners who have directly operated the task force in towns and townships, the county listened to the challenges and suggestions from the field and engaged in various discussions to strengthen policy implementation.

This process fostered a consensus on the need to shift from "administration-centered welfare" to "resident life-centered welfare," laying a solid foundation for the robust operation of the Welfare Task Force.

Heo Seonsim, Director of Social Welfare, stated, "The Welfare Task Force provides practical, everyday welfare services that quickly resolve small but urgent problems in daily life. In 2026, we will further strengthen its role as a proactive, field-oriented welfare model by reaching out first to households in crisis, seniors, and those in vulnerable housing conditions who need help."

She added, "We will build a more sophisticated and sustainable welfare system by expanding outreach services, strengthening public-private cooperation, and connecting local resources."

The "Neighborhood Welfare Task Force" has established itself as a field-oriented welfare system that responds before crises occur, and in 2026, it aims to build an even more comprehensive and compassionate welfare safety net.