Gyeonggi Province to Distribute Third Round of Disaster Basic Income to Residents Excluded from Government Support Fund

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Starting from October 1st, approximately 2.537 million Gyeonggi Province residents who were excluded from the government support fund distribution will receive 250,000 won per person in the third round of Gyeonggi Province disaster basic income.

As a result, all residents of Gyeonggi Province will now be eligible to receive disaster basic income.

Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province held a press conference on the 15th and stated, "Today, the budget including the third round of Gyeonggi Province disaster basic income has passed through the Provincial Assembly," adding "Gyeonggi Province comprehensively considered the epidemiological situation where the trend of confirmed cases has begun to stabilize, the point in time when approximately 90% of the government's co-prosperity support fund has been distributed, and the necessity to boost additional consumption, and decided to distribute disaster basic income starting from October 1st."

The Provincial Assembly passed the second supplementary budget for fiscal year 2021 including 637.998 billion won for the third round of disaster basic income on this day.

The eligibility for this third round of Gyeonggi Province disaster basic income includes domestic nationals and foreigners residing in Gyeonggi Province as of 24:00 on June 30th and excluded from the government's co-prosperity support fund distribution, which falls in the top 12% income bracket. The province estimates 2.521 million domestic nationals and 16,000 foreigners, totaling 2.537 million residents.

The payment amount is 250,000 won per person, the same as the government's fifth round of disaster support.

Online applications available from October 1st, in-person applications from October 12th
Applications will be accepted both online and in-person. Online applications can be submitted from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the one-month period from October 1st through October 29th.

Residents can apply for the disaster basic income online using either their existing Gyeonggi local currency card or one of 13 commercial card companies. At the 'Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income Application Homepage' opening at 9 a.m. on October 1st, applicants can verify their eligibility and select a card company to receive the disaster basic income. The funds can then be used with any card from the selected card company.

Unlike the first and second rounds of disaster basic income, online applications will use an odd-even system based on the last digit of birth year rather than a day-of-week system. The odd-even system applies for four days from October 1st through October 4th, with residents whose birth year ends in an odd number able to apply on October 1st and 3rd, and those with even-ending birth years on October 2nd and 4th. From October 5th onwards, applications are available regardless of birth year, including weekends and holidays.

Residents having difficulty with online applications can apply in-person from October 12th through October 29th. By bringing an ID and visiting the administrative welfare center in their residential registration district during the application period, residents can apply for disaster basic income via a prepaid Gyeonggi local currency card.

At the administrative welfare center, applicants can either receive a Gyeonggi local currency card available at the center on the day of application or have their existing card charged. In-person applications are accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the reception counter does not operate on weekends and holidays.

To minimize congestion at in-person centers, the province will implement an odd-even system during the first four days of on-site application, similar to the online method. Therefore, residents with even-ending birth years can apply on October 12th and 14th, while those with odd-ending birth years can apply on October 13th and 15th. From October 18th through October 29th, all residents can apply. When applying in-person, the 250,000 won will be charged to the Gyeonggi local currency card by the day following the application date.

Foreigners are subject to the same eligibility criteria as the government's co-prosperity support fund. Married immigrants, permanent residents, recognized refugees, and those registered on the household register in households containing at least one domestic national who were excluded from the government's co-prosperity support fund will receive the third round of Gyeonggi Province disaster basic income. Foreigners can only apply in-person at administrative welfare centers from October 12th through October 29th.

Usage until December 31st. Usage locations same as government co-prosperity support fund
The disaster basic income usage period extends from the date of receiving the usage approval text message until December 31st, after which any unused balance will be recovered.

Disaster basic income can be used at the same locations as the government's co-prosperity support fund. When paying at co-prosperity support fund usage locations within the city or county of residential registration, as with credit or debit cards, the amount is automatically deducted from the disaster basic income.

Gyeonggi Province plans to respond strongly to any fraudulent receipt of disaster basic income. Those who receive duplicate payments through false or fraudulent means after filing an objection to the national support fund may have the full amount recovered and face punishment according to applicable laws. In particular, the province will treat so-called "card cashing" such as secondary trading of local currency or overcharging during local currency transactions as criminal acts, and will strictly handle violators and illegal merchants through criminal referral, membership cancellation, and tax investigation.

Governor Lee urged citizens to actively report any discovery of secondary trading of local currency or discriminatory practices to Gyeonggi Province SNS or the Gyeonggi Province call center at 031-120.

Governor Lee stated, "While the COVID-19 crisis continues without end, residents have overcome countless obstacles together through steadfast solidarity for our community. As the top quarantine official of Gyeonggi Province, I am endlessly grateful to residents and deeply sorry," and added, "I sincerely hope that the third round of Gyeonggi Province disaster basic income will serve as a small opportunity to repay the sacrifice and dedication that all residents are enduring together and to console their pain and suffering."