Local governments across South Korea are opening their wallets ahead of the Chuseok holiday, with payouts ranging from 100,000 won to 500,000 won per person depending on the region.
Shinan County in Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City began accepting applications on the 14th for livelihood stability payments of 100,000 won per person, with the window running through Oct. 16, according to local governments on the 15th. Anyone registered as a resident of the county as of July 1 is eligible. The money is issued as a prepaid card that can be used only at businesses within Shinan County.
Gimhae in South Gyeongsang Province will also pay 100,000 won per person from the 17th through Oct. 30. Residents registered in the city as of Aug. 19 are eligible and can choose between Gimhae Love gift certificates and a prepaid card. The program alone will cost 54.5 billion won.
Some localities are paying far more. Hampyeong County in South Jeolla Province decided to give 500,000 won to each resident. Those registered as of July 1 are eligible, and the money is issued as a prepaid card usable at merchants that accept Hampyeong Love gift certificates. It must be spent by the end of this year.
Uiryeong County in South Gyeongsang Province is also paying 500,000 won per person. Residents registered as of June 30, along with marriage migrants and permanent residents, are eligible and could apply at township and village offices from Aug. 10 through Sept. 11. Yeongdong County in North Chungcheong Province is paying a second round of livelihood stability payments worth 300,000 won per person, issued as local gift certificates, with applications accepted from the 17th through Oct. 2.
Wanju County in North Jeolla Province and Sokcho in Gangwon Province are also moving to fund livelihood recovery payments from their own budgets. Naju in South Jeolla Province will spend 23.8 billion won to pay 200,000 won to each resident, while Hadong County in South Gyeongsang Province is pursuing a 12 billion won program to pay 300,000 won per resident.
Applicants should note that payment amounts, application periods and resident registration cutoff dates differ by locality. Those who moved in after the cutoff date may be excluded even if they live there on the day they apply. All payments can be used only at participating merchants within the given region, and any balance left unspent by the deadline expires.
Some metropolitan-level governments, including Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, are not offering separate Chuseok payments to all residents, making it important to check the latest notice from the local government covering one's registered address.
