Claim That Homeless People at Seoul Station Receive 1.2 Million Won a Month Is False
A claim that homeless people at Seoul Station receive 1.2 million won in monthly support has been found to be untrue. On the 26th of last month, a YouTuber posted a video about the living conditions of the homeless at Seoul Station, which spread online after surpassing 3.85 million views. In the video, the YouTuber claimed, "If a homeless person meets the conditions, they receive 820,000 won in livelihood benefits plus 369,000 won in Seoul housing benefits (government assistance covering rent), totaling 1.2 million won." The same content subsequently spread across social media. However, a fact-check confirmed the claim is false.
The alleged 1.2 million won figure adds roughly 370,000 won in housing benefits to about 820,000 won in livelihood benefits. Since housing benefits support the rent of an actual residence, people living on the streets cannot receive them, and livelihood benefits are also unavailable to many street homeless people.
According to a 2024 survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, only 12% of street homeless people were recipients of livelihood benefits. Cited reasons included deregistered residencies, unfamiliarity with the application process, and exceeding asset limits. In the same survey, more than 70% of street homeless people said they had never even applied for government assistance.
Those who leave the streets and secure separate housing can become eligible for benefits. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is helping homeless people secure housing and receive benefits through temporary housing support and other programs. An official from the Dasiseogi Comprehensive Support Center explained, "People with no place to register their residency and whose whereabouts are unknown cannot receive welfare services. The motto of the temporary housing support program is to connect them with their local community service center so they can access welfare, and the ultimate goal is settling into the community."
