"COVID Basic Income, 300,000 Won Should Be Paid to All Citizens"

"Temporary Basic Income Payment Is the Most Effective Quarantine Measure"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] There is a call to provide a “temporary basic income of 300,000 won” to all citizens facing hardship due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis.

Park Joo-hyun, co-representative of the Minsaeng Party, along with the Basic Income Party, Future Party, Transition Era Party, and Basic Income Korea Network, held a press conference at the National Assembly Press Hall on the 4th, stating, “What the people need now is a policy that allows everyone to put aside worries about their livelihood and respond to this emergency.” They added, “To this end, a temporary basic income should be provided to all citizens as a right to take care of themselves without livelihood concerns.”

They pointed out, “The government’s announced measures cannot be seen as policies for low-income groups and the majority of ordinary citizens,” and said, “The distribution of consumption coupons does not resolve the reality faced by the majority of ordinary citizens whose daily economic activities have been restricted due to COVID-19. Tax reductions for rental business operators and cuts in the individual consumption tax on passenger cars also do not improve the lives of low-income groups who struggle even to buy masks.”

They emphasized, “In this nationwide disaster situation, safety from the virus and safety from livelihood concerns must be guaranteed to all citizens,” and said, “The government must establish a foundation that allows office workers who must endure the hellish morning commute despite fears of infection, caregivers who worry about sending their children to daycare centers, and all citizens who must worry about making ends meet to feel secure and choose to rest.”

They urged, “We call for the allocation of 15 trillion won from the emergency supplementary budget to provide a temporary basic income,” adding, “Now that the spread of COVID-19 threatens everyone’s daily lives, what is needed is not an economic stimulus for a few but the introduction of a temporary basic income that provides an economic foundation for all. The payment of a temporary basic income is the most effective quarantine measure.”

Yong Hye-in, leader of the Basic Income Party, explained, “If 15 trillion won out of the 30 trillion won supplementary budget is allocated to COVID basic income, 300,000 won can be paid to every citizen, allowing everyone to have a time of rest to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

Woo In-cheol, proportional representative candidate of the Future Party, stated, “We propose the introduction of a basic income necessary for disaster relief,” and added, “First, a basic income must be urgently provided to recipients of basic living security and the near-poor. Then, basic income should be prioritized for the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions.”

Representative Park said, “Although I am not here today as a representative of the Minsaeng Party, I will enter the Budget and Accounts Committee and handle the supplementary budget,” and added, “I will boldly advocate for the disaster basic income that youth political groups unanimously demand and strive to have it fully implemented.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.