S. Korea to announce plan for 2nd round of virus emergency handouts next week

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea aims to announce a plan next week to provide a second round of emergency handouts to people hit by a recent resurgence of new coronavirus infections, Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom said Friday.

South Korea tightened social distancing rules in mid-August, as daily new infections jumped to triple-digit rises, dashing hope of a swift recovery in private consumption.

The government has been reviewing a plan to offer the emergency handouts to small merchants and self-employed people who have suffered from the tightened social distancing rules, Kim said.

Part-time and freelance workers could be eligible for the second round of handouts, Kim said.

In May, the government offered relief funds totaling 14.3 trillion won (US$12 billion) to all households as part of efforts to cushion the economic fallout from the new coronavirus.

The amount of the handouts varied from 400,000 won for single-person households to 1 million won for households with four or more members.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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