Longevity Congratulatory Payment

Summary

Seongnam City is proud to announce the launch of its new “Longevity Congratulatory Payment” program starting in 2026. This initiative is designed to honor and express deep respect for older adult citizens who have reached the milestone of 100 years, celebrating their contribution to society over a century.

Key highlights of the policy include:
– Target group: Older adults aged 100 or more who have resided in Seongnam City for at least three consecutive years.
– Benefit: A one-time payment of 1,000,000 KRW provided via “Seongnam Love Gift Certificates”(local currency) to stimulate the local economy.
– Honorary Recognition: Alongside the payment, the city issues a “Longevity Citizen Certificate” to officially recognize their healthy and long life.
– Accessibility: To ensure no older person is left behind, applications can be made by older adults themselves or direct family members at local administrative welfare centers.
Through this policy, Seongnam City aims to foster a culture of filial piety and respect for the older adults, aligning with the WHO’s mission to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all ages. We continue to strive toward a city where aging is celebrated as a period of honor and dignity.

Website: https://www.seongnam.go.kr/main.do

Key facts

Main target group: Older people in general

Sector(s): Health, Information and communication, Social protection

Other sector(s): Long-term care

Desired outcome for older people:
Meet their basic needs

Other issues the Age-friendly practice aims to address:

Ageism
Accessibility
Ageing in place
Dementia
Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)
Inclusion

Contact details

Name: Ra Hui Kang

Email address: ssolut55@korea.kr

Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):

Engaging the wider community

Project lead: Civil Society Organisation

Others involved in the project:

Local authorities
Civil Society Organisation
Older People’s Association
Social or health care provider
Volunteers
Private sector
Research institution

How collaboration worked: Collaboration&Project Management: The success of the “Longevity Congratulatory Payment” Policy is the result of seamless inter-department cooperation within the Seongnam City Government. 1. Lead Department: The Senior Welfare Division services as the control tower, overseeing the overall planning and budget execution. 2. Administrative Support: Local Administrative Welfare Centers manage the frontline application process, ensuring that the policy reaches every eligible senior. 3. Sustainable Financing: As an official municipal policy backed by the Seongnam City Longevity Congratulatory payment Ordinance,” the budget is secured annually to ensure long-term sustainability. 4. Local Economic Cycle: By providing the payment in “Seongnam Love Gift Certificates”(Local Currency), the city ensures that the welfare budget is reinvested into local small businesses, creating a win-win cycle for both older adult welfare and the community economy.

Older people’s involvement: Older people were not directly involved

Details on older people’s involvement: Older adults act as active contributors to community cohesion by sharing their life wisdom and historical experiences, which served as the primary inspiration for the city to formalize this recognition policy. Furthermore, as ‘local currency ambassadors,’ centenarians and their families participate in the local economic cycle, reinforcing the social value of intergenerational support and respect.”

Moving forward

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: Yes

Was the impact positive or negative:
Positive

Please share with us what you found in detail:
The impact and feasibility of this practice have been rigorously evaluated through official channels. Most notably, Seongnam City successfully completed a ‘Social Security Consultation’ with the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea. This process involved a comprehensive review of the policy’s necessity, budgetary sustainability, and its alignment with the national welfare system.” Furthermore, while the full-scale implementation begins in 2026, the preliminary evaluation has shown high levels of civic approval. By securing a formal agreement with the central government, we have ensured that the Longevity Congratulatory Payment functions as a stable and legally sound social safety net that complements existing welfare programs.

Looking back

Challenges:
Challenge: Securing Long-term Public Support There were initial concerns regarding the long-term fiscal sustainability of the program as the centenarian population grows. Solution: Seongnam City built a strong legal foundation by passing a Municipal Ordinance. We also emphasized that this is not just “social investment” in fostering a culture of respect, which gained overwhelming support from the City Council and citizens during public hearings.