By Nam Hyun-woo
A new program will subsidize former or active athletes suffering from financial problems, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday.
According to the ministry, the program will provide 370,000 to 500,000 won in financial support every month to athletes listed as recipients of the government’s basic livelihood security benefit, regardless of whether they already receive a monthly athletes’ pension granted to medalists at international competitions.
Among the athletes’ pension recipients, those with disabilities rated not severe enough to qualify for the government’s existing disabilities pension, can also receive an additional 100,000 won every month. The government will also grant a special subsidy of up to 10 million won for recipients of the athletes’ pension who suffer any sudden injury, disease or disability that jeopardizes their livelihood.
The ministry’s move follows the tragedy of the late Kim Byung-chan, a former weightlifter who won a gold medal at the 1990 Asian Games. Kim was found dead on June 30 in his rented apartment. He was paralyzed from the waist down following a motorcycle accident in 1996 and ever since had a hard time finding a job, surviving on the 525,000 won monthly athletes’ pension.
Kim was unable to benefit from the existing subsidy because of the government’s 499,288 won cap on the subsidy for those earning less than the minimum living cost. The only revenue for Kim other than the athletes’ pension was a monthly 100,000 won granted to basic livelihood security beneficiaries.
“With the project, the ministry now can expand its welfare reach to more athletes suffering from financial difficulties,” an official at the ministry said.
Those who want to benefit from the new program can either apply through a sports federation which will recommend them to the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), or apply directly to the KSPO. The applicants must apply to a federation by Jan. 27 or the KSPO by Feb. 5. Recipients will be announced in February. For more information about the subsidy, visit www.kspo.or.kr.