Suwon Citizens Top Second Round of Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income Applications in First Week

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] Applications for Gyeonggi Province's second round of disaster basic income have exceeded half of the provincial population just one week after the application period began.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 8th, 7.559 million Gyeonggi residents applied for the second round of disaster basic income from February 1st to 11 p.m. on the 7th. This represents 56.3% of Gyeonggi Province's total population of 13.438 million.

By payment method, 5.785 million people applied using credit or debit cards, which is approximately 3.5 times more than the 1.626 million applicants who chose Gyeonggi regional currency.

While credit and debit cards can be used by residents throughout Gyeonggi Province, Gyeonggi regional currency is only available to residents of 28 cities and counties within the province that use Kona I as the operating agency.

By number of applicants by city and county, Suwon led with 743,924 applicants, followed by Yongin with 630,149, Goyang with 557,346, and Hwaseong with 556,177.

By application rate relative to eligible applicants, Hwaseong recorded 64.9%, Suwon 62.7%, Osan 61.9%, and Gunpo 60.8%.

A Gyeonggi Province official stated, "In line with the province's policy goal to revitalize the local economy through the distribution of disaster basic income before the Lunar New Year, more than half of provincial residents applied within just one week. We are also seeing signs of the alley economy coming back to life, centered around traditional markets on the 6th and 7th. We hope that Gyeonggi Province's second round of disaster basic income becomes an opportunity to revitalize small merchants."

The second round of Gyeonggi Province disaster basic income is distributed through three methods: online application, on-site collection, and visiting application services.

Online applications are available from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the application period, which runs until March 14th.

Applicants can conveniently apply online by selecting an existing Gyeonggi regional currency card or one of 12 major credit card companies.

The province has completed agreements with 12 card companies: KB Kookmin, BC, NH Nonghyup, Lotte, Samsung, Suhyup, Shinhan, Woori, Hana, Hyundai, BC, and SC First Bank.

On the Second Round of Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income Application website (basicincome.gg.go.kr), Gyeonggi residents can verify their identity and select the card company to receive the disaster basic income, after which they can use the disaster basic income with all cards from that card company.

Provincial residents who find online applications difficult can apply for disaster basic income through on-site collection, which begins on March 1st.

For vulnerable groups who have difficulty with online applications or visiting collection sites, a "visiting application service" is provided.

The "visiting application service" targets seniors, people with disabilities, low-income single-parent families, and basic livelihood security recipients from February 1st through February 28th.

The province announced that 146,761 people completed applications through the visiting service from February 1st to 7th.

The usage period for Gyeonggi Province's second round of disaster basic income is three months from the date of the authorization text message. Disaster basic income can be used at Gyeonggi regional currency-participating merchants within the city or county of the applicant's registered residence with annual revenues of 1 billion won or less.

When paying as with a regular credit or debit card, the amount is automatically deducted from the disaster basic income if the merchant participates in the regional currency program.