[앵커]
The debt burden of small business owners who have been affected by COVID-19 has increased rapidly.
The key is to cancel the principal of debts of small business owners who are at risk of insolvency due to prolonged delinquency, or to change them to a long-term amortization method.
Reporter Park Chan on the sidewalk.
[리포트]
Self-employed people who were hit hard by quarantine measures due to COVID-19 were often in debt.
As a result, their loans also increased rapidly. In particular, non-bank loans with high interest rates increased by over 70%, and the number of multi-debtors with debts from three or more financial institutions reached 330,000.
The situation of this 50-year-old owner of a restaurant is similar.
[코로나19 피해 자영업자 : “매달 1천만 원, 1천5백만 원 이상 적자를 보기 때문에 이걸 버티기 위해서 대출이라든지 사금융에서 이제 받아서 계속 돌려막기 식으로 가는 거죠.”]
The government has decided to implement the Startup Fund to help small business owners and the self-employed who have been burdened by COVID-19.
The size of the fund is 30 trillion won, and through this, the debts they owe will be relieved or the debt burden will be reduced according to the speed of sales recovery.
There are two main types of assistance: First, if you are overdue for more than 90 days, you can reduce your principal by up to 80% of your debts minus your assets.
This applies only to credit loans, and the reduction rate is up to 90% for the vulnerable class such as the basic livelihood recipients.
If the principal is reduced, there is a record of debt reconciliation for two years, and normal financial transactions are difficult, such as being unable to use a credit card during this period.
If your delinquency is less than 90 days, you can extend the time you can pay off your debt or lower your loan interest rate.
However, there is no principal reduction.
[권대영/금융위원회 금융정책국장 : “도덕적 해이를 방지하기 위한 그런 요건들을 만들고 질적 심사를 굉장히 강화하겠다. 은닉재산이 발견되면 즉시 원금조정 등 기존 채무는 무효처리하도록 하겠습니다.”]
An Internet site will open in October where you can check if you qualify and apply for debt consolidation in person.
Prior to this, next month, we made it possible to receive prior consultations from the call center and the Asset Management Corporation.
This is Park Chan from KBS News.
Cinematographer: Ahn Yong-seop / Video editing: Han Chan-eui / Graphics: Seo Su-min