The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 8th that it will launch the 'Seoul Bangsang' pilot service for 845 low-income seniors in eight autonomous districts starting from the 9th. The target beneficiaries include elderly individuals living alone who do not receive meals due to ineligibility under the livelihood allowance criteria, as well as basic livelihood recipients and those under the near-poverty line.
The pilot service areas include ▲Gangseo District ▲Gangbuk District ▲Guro District ▲Gwanak District ▲Gwangjin District ▲Nowon District ▲Dongdaemun District ▲Eunpyeong District.
'Seoul Bangsang' is a service that delivers food to seniors' homes. Private cooking companies contracted with the Seoul Metropolitan Government prepare lunch boxes and supply them to welfare centers and other designated institutions, which then deliver the food to the beneficiaries' homes. The food preparation company selected through a competitive bidding process was Hyundai Green Food. Delivery platforms included 33 designated institutions such as welfare centers, the Korean Senior Citizens Association branches, and integrated care centers in the region.
A Seoul Metropolitan Government official noted, 'Since we do not need to secure public cooking spaces or personnel and private companies can purchase and prepare food ingredients in bulk, we can provide high-quality meals at the same expense.'
The Seoul Metropolitan Government believes that Seoul Bangsang will not only provide meals for low-income seniors but also help create jobs. Additionally, it is expected that seniors will greet each other during the delivery process, allowing for emotional support.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government will recruit additional autonomous districts to participate in the Seoul Bangsang project in the second half of this year. After conducting performance evaluations, the plan is to expand it to all autonomous districts next year.
Yoon Jong-jang, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Welfare Department, said, 'We will strive to provide nutritious and high-quality meals to the increasing number of vulnerable seniors through Seoul Bangsang.'