Mayor Dongsik Park of Sacheon Expands Senior Vouchers... Boosting Welfare and Local Businesses Together

35,000 KRW to Be Provided in the Second Half to Seniors Aged 75 and Older

Rising Use of Bathing and Beauty Partner Shops Also Boosts Small Business Revenues

Sacheon City in South Gyeongsang Province announced that it will provide a second-half voucher support fund of 35,000 KRW for bathing, dental care, and beauty services to seniors aged 75 and older in the region, starting July 1.

The bathing, dental care, and beauty voucher support program is being implemented as a pledge project of the 8th popularly elected administration. The program partially covers the costs of bathing, dental care, and beauty services.

This year, the city revised the relevant ordinance, raising the annual support amount from the previous 60,000 KRW to 70,000 KRW, and changed the payment method from quarterly to biannual distribution for the first and second halves of the year. For existing users, the support funds will be automatically recharged without the need for a separate application.

[Photo provided by Sacheon City] Sacheon City will provide a bathing, dental, and beauty voucher worth 35,000 KRW for the second half of the year to elderly residents aged 75 and older in the region starting July 1. Photo by Dongsik Park, Mayor of Sacheon

Those eligible for support are seniors aged 75 or older who are registered residents of Sacheon City. According to the city, there are currently about 13,000 eligible individuals, with around 10,000 of them utilizing the voucher.

The vouchers can be used at registered partner establishments within the region. Currently, there are a total of 209 partner businesses: 27 bathing facilities, 14 barber shops, and 168 beauty salons.

Among new eligible individuals, citizens born before 1951 who have not yet applied for the voucher can visit the administrative welfare center in their town or neighborhood to apply and receive a voucher card.

Any unused balance of the voucher support funds distributed this year can be used until December 31, 2026. After this date, any remaining balance will automatically expire.

Dongsik Park, Mayor of Sacheon City, stated, "We will continue to implement welfare policies that seniors can truly feel, so that they can enjoy a healthy and happy later life."

Sacheon City's bathing, dental care, and beauty voucher program is significant in that it is a welfare policy closely linked to daily life, which seniors can directly experience. As the number of eligible recipients and usage rates remain stable, it can be seen that the system has to some extent become established within the local community.

However, for welfare policies, sustainability is more important than their initial implementation. In the future, it will be necessary to objectively analyze utilization rates, satisfaction levels, budget efficiency, and health improvement effects, and to continue making policy improvements. This approach is expected to further increase public understanding and trust.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.