Gyeonggi Province Offers Outreach Financial Welfare Services...Up to 700,000 Won Legal Fee Support on Limited Basis

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hoon] Gyeonggi Province is operating "Visiting Debt Counseling" through the Gyeonggi Province Common People's Financial Welfare Support Center, providing debt adjustment and financial counseling services to financially vulnerable groups facing difficulties with debt or illegal collection and other financial problems.

The "Visiting Debt Counseling" program of the Gyeonggi Province Common People's Financial Welfare Support Center, which has been in operation since 2015, targets residents facing social and economic crises who find it difficult to visit the center, and provides ▲debt adjustment counseling including credit recovery, personal rehabilitation, and bankruptcy ▲customized financial counseling for improving household finances ▲counseling on responding to illegal collection by loan companies ▲connections to micro-finance including extremely low credit loans ▲provision and referral of available welfare benefits.

Applicants are organizations and institutions within the province such as community self-reliance centers, and applicants can receive counseling by making reservations through the Gyeonggi Province Common People's Financial Welfare Support Center website (http://gcfwc.ggwf.or.kr) or the Business Support Team (031-879-0462).

In addition to visiting counseling, the province operates the Gyeonggi Province Common People's Financial Welfare Support Centers at 19 locations throughout the province to provide specific financial and welfare counseling services.

By region, there are 4 centers in the northern area (Yangju, Goyang, Paju, Guri), 5 in the western area (Gunpo, Anyang, Bucheon, Gimpo, Siheung), 4 in the eastern area (Hanam, Gwangju, Namyangju, Anseong), and 5 in the southern area (Suwon, Yongin, Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong, Ansan).

Last year, there were 34,133 counseling sessions conducted for 21,567 residents.

Yoon Young-mi, Director of Welfare Policy of Gyeonggi Province, said, "The visiting debt counseling program is being implemented comprehensively for residents facing social and economic crises as part of efforts to actively identify those in financial crisis. I hope many people will receive counseling and be helped in resolving household debt," and added, "Since visiting counseling is also available, any residents struggling with household debt are encouraged to visit the door of the Gyeonggi Province Common People's Financial Welfare Support Center."

Meanwhile, amid economic downturn, the province temporarily increased legal fee support for debt adjustment targeting single mothers and women over 60 living alone, who are socially and economically vulnerable groups, from a maximum of 500,000 won to a maximum of 700,000 won until the end of this year.

The number of support instances has also been expanded from the existing one-time support to unlimited support until the end of this year.