Gwangjin-gu is expanding its "Gwangjin Leap Income" support program from a maximum of one year to two years, aiming to reduce income gaps and help low-income households achieve stable self-sufficiency after losing basic welfare benefits due to employment.
The Gwangjin Leap Income program is a work-incentive support scheme that provides temporary income supplements to households whose welfare payments were suspended after earning employment income, helping them remain employed without falling back into welfare dependency. The district launched it last July as a specialized local initiative in partnership with the Gwangjin Welfare Foundation's "Embracing 200 Households" project.
Eligible households are those whose welfare payments were suspended due to earned income and whose earnings fall at or below 50% of the standard median income. The program provides a fixed monthly payment ranging from 100,000 won ($68) to a maximum of 500,000 won, depending on household size, for up to 12 months beginning the month after welfare payments are suspended.
Under the expanded program, households that have reached the one-year support limit but continue to work and still need help maintaining their financial footing may apply for up to one additional year of support after a review. Eligibility is assessed by examining changes in income and assets, continued employment status, and the need for ongoing livelihood stability, with reassessments conducted every six months.
Households that meet the eligibility requirements may now receive Leap Income support for up to two years in total.
Payments are set below 15 percent of the household's standard median income threshold to avoid affecting eligibility for medical and housing welfare benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act. If a household exceeds a certain threshold, suspension or termination procedures apply to ensure the program's fairness and equity.
The support process is managed systematically. The district investigates the income and assets of households whose welfare payments have been suspended and recommends candidates, after which the Gwangjin Welfare Foundation's in-depth review panel assesses eligibility and selects final recipients. Ongoing monitoring of income, asset changes, and continued eligibility follows.
Currently 71 households are receiving Leap Income support, and the district plans to further strengthen the self-sufficiency safety net through the expanded support period, enabling recipients to sustain stable employment even after leaving the welfare system.
"Working low-income households need close, consistent support to remain employed stably even after leaving welfare," Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said. "We will continue to provide Gwangjin Leap Income support to reduce income gaps and help residents build the foundation to become self-sufficient."
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