Yongin Special City Prepares Sector-Specific Response Measures to Address Middle East-Triggered Livelihood Crisis

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] Yongin Special City has decided to prepare and implement sector-specific response measures in preparation for the possibility that the turbulent international economic situation—including rising global oil prices due to the conflict between the United States and Iran—could place a burden on the lives of residents, including ordinary citizens, self-employed business owners, small business operators, and farmers.

On the 16th, Mayor Lee Sang-il presided over an 'Emergency Economic Livelihood Stability Response Meeting' at the City Hall video conference room, reviewing the status of energy and consumer goods prices directly linked to ordinary people's livelihoods and discussing support measures for common citizens.

Mayor Lee Sang-il stated, "If the problem of surging oil prices due to international circumstances persists, there is a high likelihood that it will make life difficult for the city's socially vulnerable groups, small business operators and self-employed workers, ordinary citizens, and farmers. Therefore, I believe the city must prepare diverse support measures," and added, "The city must check the situation by sector for livelihood stability and establish meticulous measures for those who may face hardship."

The city will establish and operate an 'Emergency Economic Response T/F' until international tensions and economic uncertainties are resolved.

Mayor Lee Sang-il serves as the head of the T/F and oversees overall affairs. First Vice Mayor Ryu Kwang-yeol serves as vice head, with the T/F organized into △Comprehensive Support Division △Price Stabilization Division △Vulnerable Group Support Division △Transportation and Energy Support Division, each monitoring and checking sector-specific trends in real time.

To prevent rising factors in consumer goods prices that affect ordinary people's livelihoods, the city plans to focus on price stabilization by monitoring personal service charges, agricultural/livestock/fishery products, and government-designated items under special management.

In relation to this, the city decided to freeze water and sewerage rates and garbage bag prices through the first half of the year.

The city plans to consult with public transportation operators to prevent them from reducing bus route operations amid rising oil prices and to conduct guidance and inspections.

The city will monitor supply conditions at 198 gas stations in the region and conduct joint inspections with the Korea Petroleum Management Corporation to prevent problems such as counterfeit fuel sales, hoarding, and illegal distribution.

The city decided to expand and operate job creation projects for vulnerable groups in stages.

The city will award bonus points to vulnerable groups such as low-income earners, people with disabilities, and long-term unemployed in job creation projects to increase participation rates and will review measures to support their reemployment.

Additionally, the city decided to expand the target population for the 'Hope Dream Job Creation Project' and to prioritize recruitment of citizens aged 18 and older with assets of 400 million won or less.

For small business owners, the city plans to request additional government funding from the central government related to local currency issuance. The city will request that Gyeonggi Province create measures to exempt delivery platform franchise stores from brokerage fees.

As the city anticipates increased use of tax-free fuel during the farming season, it will establish a cooperative system to ensure uninterrupted supply of tax-free fuel to farms and will make efforts to expand government and provincial funding support for energy-saving related projects to stabilize farm management.

Considering that most livestock farms depend on imports for animal feed, the city decided to propose to the government the expansion of 'animal feed purchase funding (loans)' support as a measure to reduce the burden of farm management expenses resulting from rising grain prices and exchange rates.

The city also explored support measures for vulnerable groups and welfare facilities that feel a heavy burden from rising oil and food ingredient prices.

The city plans to establish policies that can benefit △basic livelihood recipients △senior households △senior centers △people with disabilities △children and childcare households and facilities in accordance with the government's support policies and budget situations.

The city also decided to review the issue of securing supplementary budget to prepare for increased subsidy payments due to rising oil prices for smooth logistics transportation.