Suwon New Light Care Service Completely Restructured...Expanding Eligibility Criteria, Enhancing Support

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Joon-sung] Suwon Special City announced on the 6th that it has completely restructured the 2025 Suwon New Light Care Service (Nugunas) project. The city has dramatically expanded existing care services and significantly broadened the support scope.

The Suwon New Light Care Service is a 'Suwon-style integrated care project' in which community-centered neighborhoods identify those in need of care and provide them with essential care services.

Starting this year, the scope of care recipients has been expanded to include not only Suwon residents but also foreign nationals residing in the city. The income eligibility threshold for support has been expanded from 75% of median income or below to 120% or below. National merit citizens receive full support regardless of income.

The support amount has been increased from 1 million won annually to 1.5 million won, and the types of services have been expanded from four to seven.

△Daily living support (physical activity assistance, housework assistance) △Companion care (hospital accompaniment, daily life task accompaniment) △Residential safety (consumables replacement/partial repair, thorough cleaning, disinfection services) △Meal support (regular meals, porridge meals) △Temporary care (short-term care, temporary pet care) △Rehabilitation care (customized exercise rehabilitation) △Psychological counseling (adult counseling, child and youth counseling, addiction management counseling) — providing 15 detailed care services across seven fields.

The city also operates 'New Light Care Providers,' neighborhood-level care communities. The Suwon New Light Care Service, which began as a pilot program in eight wards in 2023, has commissioned 828 New Light Care Providers across all 44 wards since last year to uncover care blind spots and promote services. In 2024, the program identified 1,794 households in crisis.

In 2025, the Suwon New Light Care Service (Nugunas) will transition from provider-centered care to demand-centered care, and will be operated in a manner where residents directly propose policies. Services can be applied for at dedicated care windows at 44 ward administrative welfare centers and through the 'New Light Talk' app. A care planner is assigned on the day of application, and an on-site visit takes place within seven days (within three days in urgent cases).

The city received the top award in the 'National Excellence Cases Competition for Basic Local Government Leaders' Manifestos' held in July last year for the Suwon New Light Care Service project, and received the Grand Prize in the 'Women and Senior' category for basic local government divisions in the 'Local Government Content Awards' in November, earning external recognition for its achievements.

A city official said, "With the newly transformed 'Suwon New Light Care Service (Nugunas),' we will establish a more comprehensive social safety net and realize a customized welfare system. We will do our best to build a care city of Suwon that provides strength to citizens' lives."