A mail carrier delivers mail in the central administrative city of Sejong in this file photo. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Korea Post, South Korea’s state postal office, said Wednesday it will expand the scope of a welfare registered mail service that has been offered on a trial basis in eight municipal districts to the entire country from next month.
This service sends registered mail once or twice a month enclosed with welfare-related guidance to elderly people living alone and disadvantaged households selected by municipal governments.
Letter carriers not only deliver the registered mail, but also verify the residents’ living conditions on a checklist and give feedback to the local government.
Based on the feedback, public and private welfare services are connected with the households.
As a result of a pilot project that was launched in July last year, a total of 6,279 pieces of registered mail have been sent, with 622 households receiving public service benefits, including the application for registration as basic livelihood security recipients or disabled people and the reduction and exemption of telecom service charges.
Korea Post plans to cover 75 percent of the registered mail costs with funding from its public welfare foundation, and will provide daily necessities to the households.
It also plans to attract the participation of about 50 municipal governments by the end of this year.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
