 |
| Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung speaks during a press conference at the provincial government office in Suwon, Thursday. Yonhap |
By Bahk Eun-ji
Gyeonggi Provincial Government said Thursday that it will provide 100,000 won ($89.60) in disaster relief funds to all residents, including foreigners, next month as a measure to help them cope with the financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The move came after the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) advised the provincial government to revise its related policy to include all foreign residents with registered addresses in the area in the cash handout program twice, in May and November last year.
The first payout of relief funds by Gyeonggi Province and Seoul City in March last year excluded foreign residents. While Seoul accepted the commission's recommendation and began to provide the relief subsidy to all registered foreigners, Gyeonggi refused, citing budget constraints and complicated procedures involving revisions to related ordinances.
At that time, the NHRCK pointed out that foreign residents have the same rights as Korean nationals to receive the local government's administrative benefits, according to Articles 12 and 13 of the Local Autonomy Law.
With the about face by Gyeonggi Province, around 580,000 foreign residents there can apply for the funds from April 1 to 30.
The relief fund must be used by June 30, and if not, it will be returned to the provincial government's coffers.
