Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income Application Deadline Set for 31st

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hoon Reporter] With the Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income on-site application deadline set for the 31st, the province is urging residents who have not yet applied to expedite their applications.

The Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income is being distributed to domestic nationals who have maintained household registration in the province from before 24:00 on March 23 through the application deadline.

Online applications ended on April 30, while on-site prepaid card applications can be made at eup/myeon/dong administrative welfare centers at one's registered residential address and relevant agricultural cooperatives until the 31st. Proxy applications by direct relatives, spouses, or direct relatives of spouses are also permitted.

For those unable to apply in person due to unavoidable circumstances—including elderly people living alone, people with disabilities, homeless youth, and others deemed necessary by eup/myeon/dong heads—door-to-door service is available at local administrative welfare centers. Residents should inquire and apply through this service.

The disaster basic income has restricted usage periods and venues to enhance local economic revitalization effects in the short term. The balance must be used within three months of approval; however, applicants from June onwards can only use the funds until August 31. Those who received card approval notification texts on April 11 must remember to use all remaining balances by July 11, three months later.

For those whose card usage was suspended due to limit exceeded, delinquency, or expiration after online application, contact the card company customer center to request that remaining balances be used as prepaid cards. Once card usage cancellation is approved, applicants can receive prepaid cards and use them by end of August.

Similar to local currency usage venues, the funds can be used at restaurants, retail shops, and traditional market stalls in the eup/gun of one's registered residential address with annual sales under 1 billion won. However, they cannot be used at large department stores, large discount marts, franchise supermarkets, entertainment establishments, gambling venues, or franchise direct-operated stores.

The Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income, initiated as a COVID-19 economic defense measure, began accepting applications on April 9. As of 0:00 on the 3rd, approximately 12.85 million residents (96.8% of all province residents) have applied, with approximately 1.9999 trillion won distributed.

According to research by the Gyeonggi Research Institute, the disaster basic income distribution has shown to generate sustainable alleyway commercial district revitalization and household support effects during the COVID-19 economic crisis, including increased sales for self-employed and small business owners, increased traditional market and neighborhood shop usage, and new customer inflow.

Jung Deok-chae, director of Gyeonggi Province's Safety Planning Division, stated, "We will make efforts so that all 13.4 million residents apply without exception, maximizing household income increases and local economic revitalization effects." He urged, "With the application deadline at month's end, residents who have not yet applied are requested to apply promptly and use their funds at local self-employed and small business owner establishments."