First, Expand Public Employment for Low-income Group

As the economic downturn becomes prolonged, socially vulnerable groups such as the low-income group suffer relatively greater damage. The Seoul Metropolitan Government provides public employment to these socially vulnerable groups and improves the working environment in order to resolve economic and social difficulties. For this purpose, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will provide 12,000 public employment opportunities for the livelihood of low-income group with urgency, including public employment, New Deal Jobs, and part-time jobs for college students. In addition, in order to improve the working environment of the socially vulnerable groups, Seoul will inspect whether businesses delay in payment of wages of young part-time workers to protect the rights of young adults, and operate a ‘Winter Shelter’ for day-workers, who are in poor condition for employment, at Day Worker Center.

Public Employment (5,613 people)

• Start the project in January 2017 and resolve economic difficulties of low-income group early.
• Extend the working period from the previous 5 months to 6 months.

New Deal Jobs (3,776 people)

• Hire 2,198 people by February 2017.
• Reduce the economic burden by applying living wage system (8,200 won per hour).

College Student Part-time Jobs (2,515 people)

• Recruit additional employees by providing special grants for college students’ part-time wages to each autonomous district.

Second, Provide Financial Support for Self-employed Small Business Owners

As the recession in the domestic economy and shrinking of consumer sentiment have been prolonged, economic damage has been increasing among small business owners, who operate in industries closely related to their citizens’ lives. In particular, costs such as rent are rising steadily while sales are decreasing, creating difficulty in business management or forcing businesses to shut down. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will inject 60 billion won of emergency funds, twice the amount of 2016, to solve the financial difficulties of small business owners and to support management and credit recovery. In addition, the city will visit areas where sales have been hit hard and operate ‘Visiting Self-employed Business Support Center’, which provides various support services such as management consultation, funding consultation, and public relations support.

Emergency Fund Support

• Small business owners who suffered from a sudden drop in sales or rising rent
• Support within 50 million won (interest rate 2.0%)

Microcredit Support

• Low-income group and entrepreneurs with low economic activities
• Management improvement fund and start-up funding support (interest rate 3.3%, interest subsidies by Seoul 1.5%)

Third, Support for Credit Recovery for Young Credit Defaulters

As the youth unemployment rate continues to increase, young people who use credit loans for student loans or to support their livelihoods are becoming credit defaulters or at risk of becoming one. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will provide 433 million won in emergency funds and financial education for these young people, taking the lead in resolving the ‘problem of youth credit defaulters’, which is increasing due to youth unemployment. To this end, Seoul will provide low-interest convertible loans and interest to 1,000 young people who become credit defaulters due to student loans. In addition, financial education such as debt management and convertible loans will be provided for young people who are in danger of becoming a credit defaulter so that they can manage their finances on their own.

Fourth, Publicity Support for Activation of Traditional Markets

The prolonged economic recession and the enforcement of the new anti-corruption law have reduced consumer sentiment and the number of overseas tourists, and thus traditional markets are facing increasing difficulties. In addition, when the Lunar New Year holiday is over, it is expected that consumption will decline again and the difficulty will increase. To overcome such difficulties facing traditional markets, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will carry out various events and promotional events for five days starting from February 6th. Events and promotions will be held for all traditional markets in Seoul that want to participate in, and the SMG will support traditional markets in a variety of ways, including discount sales on a large scale and promotional programs for visiting traditional markets.

Fifth, Intensive Inspection of Illegal Loans and Businesses

The more difficult the economy becomes, the more illegal acts against the economically disadvantaged increase. Seoul will intensify its crackdown on offenses against people’s daily lives targeting economically vulnerable people, such as elderly, housewives and the unemployed, in order to stabilize the lives of people at the beginning of the year. To do so, the city government will intensively check and enforce the crackdown on six areas of illegal loans and multi-level marketing acts, poor quality health food, hazardous public health facilities, large construction sites, and areas where adult entertainment establishments are concentrated. In particular, to root out illegal loans, a total of 240 autonomous district government officials and officials of Seoul Metropolitan Government will cooperate and intensely investigate, share information on criminal activities related to the crackdown, and strengthen complaint measures.

Six Areas for Intensive Inspection and Crackdown

Illegal Loans for Economically Vulnerable Group

• Target: 60 loan companies suspected of providing illegal loans
• Joint inspection teams consisting of four autonomous district government officials (240 man-days will be invested)
• Consult victims of illegal loans (40 people) recognized during the previous investigation process

114 Multi-level Marketing Registrants, Illegal Activities While Falsely Promising Employment and High Profits

• Target: 114 multi-level marketing registrants in Seoul
• Joint Inspection of the Special Enforcement Division for Public Safety, the Public Welfare & Economic Policy Division (Economic Planning Headquarter)

Selling Activities of Low-quality Health Food for the Elderly

• More than 630 locations, including senior citizens’ and elderly welfare centers
• Operate city-gu, Public-Private Joint Inspection Team and Silver Sheriff (145 people)

Public Health Facilities at Risk of Fire in Winter

• 440 places such as large bath facilities (Jjimjilbang), illegal accommodation facilities
• Organize the joint investigation team of the Special Enforcement Division for Public Safety and autonomous districts

Illegal Air Pollution Incidents

• 523 large construction sites in Seoul
• Organize four inspection teams of city-gu officials (consisting of three people), conduct a survey by area

7 Areas of Adult Entertainment Concentration Frequented by Juvenile Delinquents

• Prostitution flier distribution areas (7 places) and producers
• Collect information on daytime/nighttime distribution areas and a stakeout (12 members of Public Safety Investigation Team), 24-hour crackdown and strengthening of enforcement