Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. Gyeonggi to Receive Applications for 2nd Disaster Basic Income Payment from February (0128-1) Gyeonggi Province recently announced three different application methods for the second disaster basic income payment, which the province intends to make available before the Lunar New Year holiday. Residents are advised to choose the method that best suits them. Online applications can be made from February 1 to March 14. As in the first round of payments, one can also apply in person with appropriate identification at local administration and welfare centers for on-site payment in the form of Gyeonggi local currency cards. On-site applications, which begin on March 1, will be received in accordance with designated weekdays for individuals based on their birth years so as to minimize COVID-19 infection risks and resident inconvenience. For those with limited mobility, applications can also be made via home visits. In addition, foreign residents of Gyeonggi can make either online or on-site applications during the month of April. ◇ Hidden COVID-19 Carriers Identified Through Preemptive Screening (0125-1) Gyeonggi Province recently set up a COVID-19 screening station at the provincial government complex for the testing of all personnel with the aim of identifying asymptomatic carriers and preventing the spread of infections. During the one-week screening period, two individuals were identified as carriers of the infection. Preemptive screening has been undertaken throughout the province. One such screening of bus and taxi drivers uncovered a total of 16 carriers. Gyeonggi Province will continue preemptive screenings on a regular basis, targeting those at high-risk facilities. ◇   Gyeonggi’s Delivery Express App Coverage to Be Expanded Province-wide (0127-2) Following successful trial operations of Gyeonggi’s ‘Delivery Express’ app, the areas covered by this public delivery app will be expanded swiftly. Twenty-five local governments in the province have applied to join the app service system. Of these, Pocheon (포천) City will launch app services in February while the cities of Suwon (수원), Gimpo (김포) and Icheon (이천), as well as the counties of Yangpyeong (양평) and Yeoncheon (연천), will launch app services in March. Although the Korea-Gyeonggido Company, the operator of the app, originally planned to expand app services throughout the province by the end of the year, expansion is being accelerated for realization within the first half of the year. ◇ Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Passes 2nd Disaster Basic Income Budget (0127-1) On January 26, a 2-day Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly extraordinary session ended after passage of this year’s first revised supplementary budget that includes 2nd-round disaster basic income payments of KRW 100,000 for all Gyeonggi residents. The period for payments, which will be made in local currency, will be determined based on pandemic circumstances. The partial amendment of the Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income Payment Ordinance for the expansion of recipient parameters was also passed during the session. Unlike the first payment round, disaster basic income is now payable to all marriage-based residents, permanent residents, and other foreign nationals with registered addresses in the province. ◇ Gyeonggi Mental Health Hotline Helps Address COVID-19-related Mental Issues (0126-2) From February to December last year, the Gyeonggi Mental Health Hotline received a total of 593 requests for counseling on COVID-19-related mental health issues. Of these cases, anxiety was the most common issue, accounting for 35 percent, followed by depression at 30 percent. Severe cases in which sufferers experienced suicidal thoughts accounted for 3.5 percent of the total. Severe cases are referred to local mental health and welfare centers and monitored through regular text message communication. Any Gyeonggi resident who is suffering from mental issues due to COVID-19 can receive counseling by calling 1577-0199 ◇   Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Reviews 2nd Disaster Basic Income Budget (0126-1) On January 25, the 349th Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly extraordinary session opened with its first plenary session. This session saw the review of a revised supplementary budget of KRW 1.36 trillion, which includes disaster basic income funding of KRW 1.35 trillion as well as incidental expenditures of KRW 12.1 billion. Earlier, on January 11, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly formally proposed the payment of a 2nd round of disaster basic income. Nine days later, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung (이재명) confirmed plans to make this payment to all residents in the form of local currency. While explaining budgetary planning during a plenary session of the provincial assembly, Governor Lee also emphasized the importance of making the disaster basic income payment universally to all Gyeonggi residents. ◇ Gyeonggi to Promote Advanced Technologies (0128-2) Gyeonggi Province recently announced its policy to promote advanced technologies through diverse initiatives. One such initiative is the improvement of childcare safety through the utilization of IT technologies. The province also plans to launch Gyeonggi AlimTalk (알림톡) services that will provide users with customized policy information based on individual data. During the second half of the year, the province will host Future Show 2021, which will feature futuristic technologies as applied in daily lives. The province is preparing this event to include various future technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, virtual and augmented reality, and blockchain. Moving forward, Gyeonggi will also provide research support directly to individual researchers instead of to related universities and institutes. ◇ Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. We look forward to seeing you again next week.