Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon visited livelihood sites and social welfare facilities across the country to practice warm comfort and sharing in celebration of Chuseok, the great traditional holiday of the Korean people. This initiative was organized to look after neighbors who are easily overlooked during the holiday season and to encourage the hard work of workers on the front lines. It holds great significance as the government has taken the lead to ensure that warmth spreads evenly to every corner of our society. It was also a precious opportunity to closely listen to the live voices of merchants and residents struggling with rising prices and an economic downturn. Furthermore, it served as an occasion to offer practical help and hope to those worrying about a harsh winter, despite the festive atmosphere. The government reaffirmed its commitment to prioritizing communication with the public and serving as a sturdy shield for the vulnerable.
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Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon Visits Livelihood Sites and Social Welfare Facilities for Chuseok
1. The Significance of Visiting Livelihood Sites for the Chuseok Holiday
Chuseok, the great traditional holiday of the Korean people, is a precious time when we all should enjoy abundance and sharing, but for some, it is a period when loneliness deepens. Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon deeply considered this aspect and chose to visit livelihood sites that reflect the daily lives of the people, rather than attending grand ceremonies. Merchants and citizens expressed their concerns about their tightened household finances due to high prices and a prolonged economic downturn. At the scene, the Deputy Prime Minister held hands with the merchants, empathizing with the difficulties of the common people’s economy and offering words of deep comfort. He toured every corner of the traditional market, purchasing necessary items himself and taking notes on the merchants’ grievances while considering solutions. This field-centric approach was a sincere effort to ease the burden on ordinary citizens, rather than a mere show. One merchant he met expressed that he was so grateful to have a high-ranking official come directly to listen to his business worries after a long time that he was moved to tears. Such direct, on-the-ground communication creates far more powerful energy for healing and change than policies drafted behind a desk.
Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon’s visit to livelihood sites was conducted to empathize with the difficulties of the common people’s economy and to engage in practical communication.
2. A Warm Hand Reaching Out to Social Welfare Facilities
After touring livelihood sites, Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon visited social welfare facilities where marginalized groups reside, offering warmth and care. He meticulously inspected the living spaces of elderly people with mobility issues and people with disabilities, carefully checking for any deficiencies in facility operations. He delivered pre-prepared daily necessities and consolation items to ensure a warm holiday and expressed sincere gratitude for the hard work of facility staff. Welfare facility staff explained in detail how the government’s continuous interest and support provide great strength on the ground, expressing their thanks. The Deputy Prime Minister promised to actively reflect the voices of the field in policy, stating that true welfare is only completed when the treatment and working conditions of social welfare workers are improved. Children and elderly residents of the facilities greeted the Deputy Prime Minister with bright smiles, enjoying the warm holiday atmosphere together. The scene of making eye contact and conversing even over small gestures served as a reminder of the true value of a warm community.
Through visits to social welfare facilities, marginalized neighbors were comforted, on-site workers were encouraged, and blind spots in welfare were inspected.
3. Policy Review Through Field-Centered Communication
This Chuseok visit was not merely a one-off consolation event but an important opportunity to check how government policies are functioning on the ground. Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon instructed relevant ministries to share the fresh opinions collected from each site and to prepare immediate corrective measures. In particular, he focused on directly confirming with his own eyes whether welfare budgets are reaching those who truly need them transparently and efficiently. The detailed hardships faced by merchants and welfare workers are precious information that can never be grasped solely through existing statistical data or reports. The government plans to use the various suggestions obtained from this visit as key indicators in formulating future livelihood stabilization measures. It is a strong will to drive policy changes that citizens can feel, with the mindset that the voices of the field are the law and the guideline. This process of communication becomes the most certain way to thicken trust between the government and the people and to increase policy acceptance.
Fresh opinions and suggestions collected from the field will be used as key materials in formulating future livelihood stabilization policies.
4. Multi-faceted Government Support for Vulnerable Groups
Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, the government is activating various support measures for vulnerable groups, prioritizing livelihood stabilization. Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon’s recent field visit aligned with this overall government effort, adding practicality to it. In addition to various discount supports for price stability and supply-demand management of agricultural, livestock, and marine products, tailored livelihood support for vulnerable groups is being carried out meticulously. Special loan and guarantee support programs for small and medium-sized businesses that urgently need funds around the holiday are also proceeding without issue. The system for proactively identifying crisis households in welfare blind spots and linking them with emergency livelihood costs and housing support has also been strengthened. The government is mobilizing all administrative resources to fill the gaps so that every citizen can enjoy a warm and abundant holiday without feeling left out. These government efforts confirm that our society is a healthy community that cares for one another, going beyond mere material support.
The government is providing multi-faceted support, including price stability, funding support for small and medium-sized businesses, and identifying welfare blind spots, to mark the holiday.
5. Spreading Social Solidarity and a Culture of Sharing
These sharing activities centered around the holiday serve as a catalyst for spreading a positive sense of solidarity throughout our society. Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon’s actions are fostering an atmosphere of voluntary donation and volunteering not only in the public sector but also among private enterprises and general citizens. Small acts of caring for neighbors in need gather to form a solid foundation for building a robust social safety net. Various institutions and organizations are also participating in relay-style traditional market shopping and welfare facility consolation events, kindling the flame of goodwill. Even in today’s harsh modern society, a warm gaze and consideration toward neighbors remain a powerful force supporting our society. The government plans to lay various institutional foundations and encourage further activation of such voluntary private participation. A truly happy and healthy society can only be completed when the value of a life shared together takes deep root in our daily lives.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s actions are driving voluntary private donations and volunteering, thereby spreading social solidarity and a culture of sharing.
6. Future Challenges and a Warm Outlook
Deputy Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon’s Chuseok visit to livelihood sites will not be a one-time event but will serve as the starting point for continuous communication. Even after the holiday, the government plans to closely monitor the flow of the livelihood economy and promptly carry out necessary follow-up measures. It is the policy to maintain strong communication with the field until the economic warmth felt by the people is fully restored. We hope that you, our readers, will spend the holiday offering a warm word to neighbors who are alone or small business owners facing difficulties. If small acts of interest and consideration gather, this Chuseok will remain a memory that is warmer and more abundant than ever for all of us. If the government and the people hold hands and overcome difficulties together, the future of the Republic of Korea will shine brighter and more hopefully. It is expected that the government’s warm companionship will continue without stopping until the day when all citizens are blooming with smiles.
The government will take full responsibility for livelihood stability felt by the people through continuous field communication and follow-up measures.
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