Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Achieves Strong Results in Strengthening Its Welfare Safety Net, Wins Top Prize in the “Expansion of Community Services” Category in the Community Welfare Project Evaluation

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the City and five districts had been selected as awardees across five categories in the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s 2025 Community Welfare Project Evaluation.

This year’s evaluation by the Ministry of Health and Welfare assessed local governments’ overall welfare administration across ten categories, including the Expansion of Community Services, Community Welfare Plan Implementation Results, and Visiting Health and Welfare Services. Busan earned three Grand Prizes, two Excellence Prizes, and seven Merit Prizes in five of the evaluated categories.

<Status of Busan’s Awards in the 2025 Community Welfare Project Evaluation by Category>

• 1.Expansion of Community Services: (Grand Prize) Busan Metropolitan City

• 2.2024 Community Welfare Plan Implementation Results: (Grand Prize) Buk-gu; (Merit Prize) Sasang-gu

• 3.Visiting Health and Welfare Services: (Grand Prize) Sasang-gu; (Excellence Prize) Yeonje-gu; (Merit Prizes) Buk-gu, Saha-gu, Suyeong-gu

• 4.Hope Welfare Support Group Operations: (Excellence Prize) Sasang-gu; (Merit Prizes) Suyeong-gu, Buk-gu

• 5.Management of Improper Receipt of Social Security Benefits: (Merit Prize) Buk-gu

The City received the Grand Prize in the “Expansion of Community Services” category for the second consecutive year, following last year’s Excellence Prize.

The “Expansion of Community Services” category evaluates local governments’ locally tailored social service investment initiatives. These include services developed and provided directly by municipalities based on local residents’ needs and service provider resources. The category encompasses the Community Service Investment Project, Daily Care Service Project, Home Care Support for Household Management and Nursing, and Emergency Care Support Services.

The City continued its strong performance by winning its third consecutive top-tier award—Grand Prize in 2023, Excellence Prize in 2024, and again Grand Prize in 2025.

This year, Busan was highly recognized for its efforts, including:
▲ Strengthening data-driven policy support through the establishment of supply-and-demand statistics;
▲ Enhancing transparency and competitiveness in provider management by expanding the price elasticity and quality certification systems and applying conditional registration standards;
▲ Laying the foundation for a smart social service model by identifying welfare technologies in care and rehabilitation that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) and conducting pilot projects;
▲ Implementing Daily Care Services, the price elasticity system, and Emergency Care Support Services.

Additionally, Buk-gu and Sasang-gu each won Grand Prizes in the “2024 Community Welfare Plan Implementation Results” and “Visiting Health and Welfare Services” categories, respectively.

Buk-gu was recognized for its efforts in:
▲ Implementing the Community Welfare Plan;
▲ Strengthening monitoring through working-level councils;
▲ Identifying new projects reflecting the needs of persons with developmental disabilities for independent living;
▲ Building a community-centered welfare delivery system by activating district and borough councils and public–private networks.

Sasang-gu received high marks for identifying long-term reclusive individuals facing economic hardship and providing various support services to help them reintegrate into society.

Jeong Taegi, Director General of Social Welfare at the City, stated, “This achievement reflects the outcomes of a closely woven welfare safety net jointly established by the City, district offices, and the private sector,” adding, “Busan Metropolitan City will continue to prioritize eliminating welfare blind spots and ensure that no citizen is left out of care.”

He further commented, “In line with the implementation of the Integrated Care Support Act next year, we will advance the Busan-style integrated care model and realize a warm and caring welfare community that citizens can truly feel.”