The Social Security Special Support Zones Project: Its Profile and Achievements

Abstract

The Social Security Special Support Zones Project, nationally subsidized and run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, is a community impact initiative that, with a legal basis in Article 48 of the Act on the Use and Provision of Social Security Benefits and Search for Eligible Beneficiaries, brings together residents, the government, and private-sector groups to build sustainable welfare systems in small localities concentrated with socially vulnerable groups. This article discusses the basic features of the special support project, its three guiding principles, logical framework, components, and systemic characteristics. In addition, we review key issues addressed in the project’s first round across eight municipalities, along with the involved visions and strategies. This article also examines the progress made in this project, assessing policy effectiveness from the recipient perspective, sustainability, and diffusion, from which we draw policy implications for advancing the project.