[The Sociology of Heatwaves]② The Lethal Heat is Even Harsher for Those on the Edge

As Welfare Discounts for Basic Livelihood Recipients Increase, Near-Poor Experience Decline

Lower Rates of Constant Cooling/Heating Use and Energy Expenditure

"Support Should Be Based on Actual Heatwave Vulnerability, Not Just Simple Income"

An unprecedented heatwave with temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius is exposing a hidden energy-poor population. Even among low-income groups, the near-poor—those just above the cut-off for government benefits—are more vulnerable to heatwaves than basic livelihood security recipients, as they tend to restrict their use of cooling and heating more severely due to lack of public support. With climate issues worsening, there are growing calls for a structural overhaul of the welfare system that currently determines eligibility for support based solely on income levels.

According to electricity usage data released by Korea Electric Power Corporation on August 12, a recalculation of welfare discount usage for the heatwave-intensive summer months (June to August) of 2018 and 2024 revealed that the number of discounts granted to basic livelihood security recipients soared from 1,567,925 cases (32.0% of the total) to 3,091,024 cases (54.5%). In contrast, for the near-poor population, the number decreased from 449,702 cases (9.2%) to 421,429 cases (7.4%).

On the 3rd, during the peak of the heatwave, a thermal imaging camera captured the view of downtown Seoul and the Han River from the observation deck of the 63 Building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Higher temperatures are shown in red, while lower temperatures are displayed in blue. Photo by Yonhap News.

Basic livelihood security recipients are households with income and assets below a certain threshold, and they receive cash or in-kind support for living, medical, housing, and education needs. The near-poor, on the other hand, are those whose recognized income falls below half of the median income but do not qualify as basic livelihood security recipients—this group includes the so-called non-beneficiary poor.

Comparing the summers of 2018 and 2024, the number and proportion of welfare discounts granted to basic livelihood security recipients have nearly doubled, whereas both the absolute figure and proportion for the near-poor have declined.

During this period, the number of basic livelihood security households grew by 61.7%, from 1.16 million to 1.88 million. However, welfare discounts for this group increased by 97.1%, representing an even higher rate of growth. While it is possible that some near-poor individuals moved to the basic livelihood security recipient group as eligibility thresholds were lowered after 2018, making it difficult to conclude definitively about the support gap, concerns remain that groups on the margins of institutional support among the broader low-income population are relatively excluded from welfare benefits.

This welfare blind spot is also evident in research findings. According to a 2019 home-visit survey of 602 low-income in Seoul by the Seoul Institute, the citywide average number of air conditioners per household stood at 0.89 units, but among low-income households, it was only 0.18 units per household. When asked whether they 'always use' cooling or heating equipment when feeling hot or cold, 25.0% of basic livelihood security households responded affirmatively, followed by 18.5% among the near-poor and 14.6% among other low-income households.

The pattern was similar in energy spending for cooling and heating. The average monthly energy expenditure for basic livelihood security households was 36,512 won, whereas for the near-poor it was lower, at 34,854 won. Assuming a typical residential electricity cost of 150–250 won per kilowatt-hour and converting based on average air conditioner power usage, this gap translates into the ability to run an air conditioner an additional 7–16 hours per month. Since these figures are annual averages, the disparity may grow even larger during peak seasons such as summer and winter when energy consumption spikes.

Given these findings, some experts argue that vulnerability to heatwaves should not be assessed based solely on income level. The ability of low-income individuals to cope with extreme heat can vary greatly depending on whether they are officially covered by welfare programs, whether they own cooling equipment, and whether they can afford electricity bills. As heatwaves become more severe, there is a need for a more detailed support system that can identify and assist those at the boundaries of current welfare safety nets rather than just those officially recognized.

Seunghee Park, Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare at Sungkyunkwan University, stated, "The energy gap among low-income groups is an inevitable result of the public assistance principle, which provides money only to those who are deemed poor based on income and asset surveys. This creates significant disparities, even among people in similar situations, depending on where the eligibility threshold is set."

Professor Park called for structural reform of the welfare system, noting, "The biggest problem in our country is that income security is only partially addressed, and gaps are filled on an ad hoc basis through fragmented benefits. The system for distributing government social security funds needs to be reorganized and income security should be strengthened." She added, "Even before fundamentally changing the welfare system to address heatwaves and climate issues, society must devise ways to ensure, under any circumstances, that people do not lose their lives due to heat."

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