All Gyeonggi residents to receive pandemic relief
Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung speaks during a press conference at the provincial office in Suwon, Thursday. Yonhap
Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, said Thursday it will start providing a second round of coronavirus relief to all residents next month to promote consumption ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
Gov. Lee Jae-myung, a leading presidential hopeful of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), announced the plan despite controversy over its possible adverse effect on anti-pandemic efforts and disparities with other local entities.
Gyeonggi plans to provide 100,000 won (US$89.78) per person to its 13.99 million residents, including 580,000 foreign nationals.
Gyeonggi handed out the same amount of relief from April to August last year, becoming the first local government in the nation to do so.
"Now that the third wave of infections is at its lowest point, we have concluded that it is desirable to pay disaster basic income before the Lunar New Year holiday," Lee said at a news conference. The holiday runs from Feb. 11-13.
Lee's latest relief program faced skepticism from top government officials and politicians, who largely advocate targeted support for businesses and individuals hit hardest by the pandemic.
DP leader Lee Nak-yon, also a potential presidential candidate, expressed concerns last week that the universal payment program could hamper efforts to tame the coronavirus.
"At a time when social distancing is under way, telling people to consume can be similar to turning on the left blinker while turning to the right," Lee said during a media interview.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun also criticized the policy during a radio talk show last week, calling for assistance focused on low-income citizens and heavily damaged small businesses.
The governor, an ardent advocate of a universal basic income even before the COVID-19 outbreak, dismissed such concerns.
"I don't think our people who have been so cooperative with anti-pandemic efforts will violate (social distancing) rules in spending the 100,000 won per person," he said during the news conference.
He also emphasized the need to act timely to prevent the pandemic causing irreparable damage to the economy.
The Gyeonggi government plans to first receive applications and make payments online from Feb. 1 to March 14. In-person applications and payments will take place from March 1 to April 30.
The payment will be made with credit cards or provincial prepaid cards, the government said. The money should be used in the province within three months of delivery. (Yonhap)