Free legal services for at-risk households in legal blind spots — including basic livelihood recipients, multicultural families and people with disabilities — covering civil, family, administrative and criminal matters, with phone and in-person consultations available
Gwangjin-gu is running a "Legal Home Doctor" program that provides tailored first-stage legal services to vulnerable residents and at-risk households falling through the welfare safety net.
The Legal Home Doctor program targets those who urgently need legal welfare services — including basic livelihood recipients, multicultural families, people with disabilities and crime victims — but face economic or geographic barriers to obtaining legal assistance. It offers legal consultations, legal education and referrals to legal aid organizations, delivering differentiated first-stage legal services before any litigation begins.
Consultations are handled by a dedicated attorney from the Ministry of Justice stationed at Gwangjin-gu's welfare and care division.
The program covers a wide range of everyday legal issues: civil matters such as bonds and debts, lease disputes, damages, wages, and rehabilitation or bankruptcy proceedings; family matters including divorce, parental rights and custody, and inheritance; administrative matters such as naturalization, immigration and long-term care benefits; and criminal cases.
Appointments can be made on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. by contacting the Legal Home Doctor attorney's office in advance, with consultations available by phone or in person. Due to internal circumstances, however, consultations are currently conducted by phone only, on the one day per week the attorney is on duty, through October.
"I hope vulnerable residents in our district who are struggling with legal issues will receive real, practical help through the Legal Home Doctor program," Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said. "We will continue to strengthen our tailored welfare and legal support network so that no marginalized neighbor is left in a legal blind spot."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
