Gyeonggi Province Strengthens Disaster Recovery Support...Launches Daily Life Recovery Subsidy and Special Support Districts

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] Gyeonggi Province is pursuing measures to provide daily life recovery subsidies to victims of natural and social disasters and to designate severely damaged cities and counties as special support districts to provide recovery funds.

The province announced on the 29th that it is implementing a 'Gyeonggi-style disaster recovery support system' to strengthen practical support for damage in a situation where risks from climate crisis and complex disasters are increasing.

In the reality where various major disasters—including record-breaking rainfall in history, record snowfall in 117 years, and accidents during military training—are repeatedly occurring, the existing disaster recovery system designed around public facilities is deemed insufficient in protecting private property damage and assisting disaster victims.

Accordingly, the province plans to shift the paradigm of recovery policy from 'public-centered restoration' to 'livelihood-centered recovery' and introduce customized support systems that prioritize residents' livelihood recovery.

First, the province is pursuing the establishment of a 'daily life recovery subsidy' for the first time in the nation. The daily life recovery subsidy provides additional full provincial funding separately from existing disaster relief funds when large-scale damage occurs due to unprecedented natural disasters. Specific support standards and subsidy amounts are under review, and the funds will be covered by the disaster relief fund and the general account (emergency reserves, etc.).

In addition, considering the practical difficulties faced by cities and counties that do not receive additional national treasury support despite major disasters—on the proposal of Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Safety and Administration Committee member Nam Jong-seop—the province will also implement a 'special support district' system to provide recovery funds at the provincial level.

When an area is proclaimed as a special disaster zone, additional national treasury support can be received. However, cities and counties that fail to meet the requirements under the current system for calculating special disaster zone and national treasury support criteria due to limited facility damage despite significant damage must bear the full cost of recovery.

Accordingly, the province designates cities and counties with large damage scope but difficult financial support as 'special support districts' to inject provincial funds and alleviate the recovery cost burden through related system improvements.

Funding will prioritize the use of disaster management funds, and emergency reserves or special appropriation funds will be utilized if necessary. If this system is introduced, it is expected to support rapid recovery of basic local governments with difficult financial conditions and provide substantial assistance to residents' livelihood stability.

To this end, the province is pursuing amendments to the 'Gyeonggi Province Special Disaster Zone Support Ordinance' initiated by Provincial Assembly Safety and Administration Committee member Nam Jong-seop and is scheduled to be presented at the 384th Regular Session beginning June 10.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon said, "Now that climate disasters have become everyday, it is time to implement realistic and bold support policies to establish a recovery system that protects residents' lives. We will cooperate with the Provincial Assembly to establish recovery support systems that residents can feel."