Police, welfare officials team up to reach vulnerable citizens quickly

Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong speaks during a meeting in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

Korea’s social services and law enforcement agencies will join forces to more quickly identify vulnerable citizens, sharpening the reach of an unconditional aid program intended as a last line of defense for those slipping through the cracks.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Police Agency signed a memorandum of understanding Monday at police headquarters in Seoul, pledging closer coordination under the Just Dream initiative, which provides food and daily necessities to vulnerable Koreans without requiring formal applications or income verification.

Under the agreement, police officers encountering people in financial distress during routine duties will guide them to nearby Just Dream stations and help promote access to the program, officials said.

The initiative currently operates 129 distribution points across 68 cities, counties and districts nationwide. It offers between three and five essential items per person, capped at 20,000 won ($15), and connects recipients to counseling and broader welfare services.

Officials said the partnership is expected to accelerate the delivery of aid to people facing urgent hardship, particularly those identified on the frontlines of police work.

Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong said closer cooperation with police will help authorities “find and support those in need more quickly” and strengthen the social safety net.

Yu Jae-sung, acting commissioner of the National Police Agency, said officers will work to identify vulnerable groups during field operations and ensure timely assistance through coordination with welfare authorities.

The program has served 68,985 people as of March 18, with 14,343 receiving counseling and 6,804 applying for additional welfare support, according to ministry data.

This article was published with the assistance of a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.