Residents of Chuncheon in Gangwon Province have spent 38 billion won ($25.8 million) of their high-fuel-cost victim support fund at local businesses.
The city said 93 percent of the 40.9 billion won disbursed has translated into actual spending, injecting new energy into traditional markets and neighborhood commercial districts.
According to the city Wednesday, a total of 40.9 billion won in high-fuel-cost victim support funds has been paid out to approximately 213,000 residents — 73.3 percent of the city's total population.
In April, the city formed a dedicated task force in line with the central government's relief fund disbursement plan and built a cooperative framework with administrative welfare centers across its towns, townships and neighborhoods. The task force has overseen the entire process, from accepting applications and issuing payments to handling appeals and promoting spending.
The city also ran a mobile outreach service for elderly residents with limited mobility, people with disabilities and welfare facility residents, helping 1,047 people submit their applications.
The city swiftly reviewed 2,278 appeal cases, approving 1,951 of them and issuing an additional 530 million won to residents initially excluded from the program. It said it actively considered residents' varied circumstances to minimize gaps in support coverage.
On Wednesday, Chuncheon held a "high-fuel-cost victim support fund local spending campaign" at Chuncheon Pungmul Market, informing residents and merchants of the fund's spending deadline and eligible business categories. The deadline to use the funds is Aug. 31, and any unspent balance will be automatically forfeited.
abc@heraldcorp.com
