Seoul Citizen Welfare Standard

Seoul Citizen Welfare Standard: the standard made by Seoul citizens

The indiscriminate welfare makes Seoul a people-centered city. “Seoul Citizen Welfare Standard” is a standard for Seoul citizens and is the first welfare standard composed by both government and citizens in Korea. It is the birth of the charter of welfare for marginalized people who could not receive basic welfare because of their long-lost offspring or low-income class people who spend half of their monthly earnings on semi-basement rental. The new welfare standard has been announced last October after 9 months of hard work, and it consists of  income, residence, nurturing, health, and education welfare standards. It also states the basic living standard and optimum living standard for Seoul citizens. The Seoul Citizen Welfare Standard implementation committee consisting of citizen representative, research team, and experts and the citizen panel “Seoul Welfare Eco” were involved in the policy discussion of each department and the 1,000-people round-table conference for the final opinion gathering. The citizens’ ideas became the fundamentals of the Seoul Citizen Welfare Standard.

Seoul-type Basic Security Welfare system

What is the Seoul-type Basic Security Welfare system?

It is a system that has been operating since July 2013 to secure the basic living of citizens who earn less than the minimum living cost but do not receive basic welfare due to legislative ineligibility.

Standard for the selection of beneficiaries and application method

Applicants should have had their household head registered at least six months earlier as of the application date, and they should meet the income, property, and household supporter criteria. The relevant person, his or her relative, or a related person can submit applications to his or her district resident center. Applicants are appraised by surveying the income and properties of the applicant household and household supporter.

Benefits of the Seoul-type Basic Security Welfare system

There are benefits for livelihood, education, childbirth, and funeral. The benefit for livelihood is ½ of that of the recipients of basic living, while the benefits for education, childbirth, and funeral are the same as the one granted to the recipient of basic living.

• Families with working ability are only eligible to apply every 3 months, and working ability is judged by the basic welfare eligibility test result.
• Families without working ability include those under 18, above 65 years, and patients with incurable disease.