Health ministry to use postal workers to deliver food aid and check on housebound Koreans

The health ministry said Thursday it will begin delivering food packages to the homes of elderly and disabled people who cannot leave home, using postal workers who will also check on their welfare, under a pilot program in 10 cities and districts.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare signed an agreement with Korea Post to run the pilot of its "Geunyang Dream" food assistance program, in which letter carriers hand packages to people who have difficulty getting to pickup counters, including residents of remote islands. The program, which began as a pilot in 56 locations last December and expanded nationwide in September, had drawn about 330,000 users as of the announcement, 70,830 of whom received welfare counseling. Counseling led 7,383 of those people to community care, including emergency welfare support.

Under the pilot, residents can apply through district offices, administrative welfare centers or a welfare crisis notification app, and staff will conduct a basic phone assessment before asking the local post office to make a delivery. Carriers will hand the package to the recipient in person and check their health, housing and sanitation conditions, then report what they find to the local government for follow-up counseling and welfare services if needed.

The 10 pilot areas are Seodaemun and Dongdaemun districts in Seoul, Buk District in Busan, Ganghwa County in Incheon, Gwangmyeong and Bucheon in Gyeonggi Province, Pyeongchang County in Gangwon Province, Gimcheon in North Gyeongsang Province, Wanju County in North Jeolla Province and Yeongdong County in North Chungcheong Province. Each will start the service after consulting with its local post office, and individual start dates and application methods will be announced by the districts.

"Geunyang Dream asks for no proof of hardship, but for people who cannot come out to a counter, even that is a long way," said Eun Seong-ho, head of the ministry's population and social service policy office. "The moment a letter carrier knocks on the door and asks how they are doing will be an important window that finds a welfare crisis first."

The Bucheon city government has run a similar home-delivery version with its local post office since June. The ministry and Korea Post said they will work to extend the service to more areas after the pilot period.