Kim Jaewon: "Voluntary Donations of Disaster Relief Funds? We Cannot Run the Country on Sponsorships"

Ruling Party and Government to Provide Support Payments to All Citizens, Then Encourage Donations from High-Income Earners

Kim Jae-won, chairman of the National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee from the United Future Party, is expressing his position on the second supplementary budget emergency disaster relief fund due to COVID-19 at a press conference held at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] The government and the Democratic Party of Korea have agreed to provide disaster relief funds to all citizens on the premise of securing additional resources through voluntary donations from high-income earners. In this context, Kim Jae-won, the Policy Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, criticized on the 23rd, saying, "We cannot run the country by receiving sponsorships."

Kim appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that day and said, "I felt like the government was being run like a civic organization," adding, "Issuing national bonds to distribute relief funds to the people and then covering that part through donations cannot be considered a normal way of running a country."

Earlier, the party and government decided to provide the ‘COVID-19 Emergency Disaster Relief Fund’ of 1 million won per four-person household to all citizens, not just the bottom 70% by income. However, high-income earners are encouraged not to receive it voluntarily, and donations will be recognized as charitable contributions with tax credit benefits.

Kim pointed out, "Even in an emergency situation, there is no need to operate in a way that has never been considered in the Constitution or laws," adding, "Such a method does not exist under the current tax law."

He continued, "It seems the Democratic Party, having secured 180 seats, thinks it can do anything and is making such statements, but laws are laws, and the way the country is run must be normal."

He also said, "Some people who are much better off than me might ask, 'Why should I pay money to the country?' and may choose not to pay," adding, "Dividing the people like that and treating those who do not comply as bad people is not the right way."

Regarding former party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn’s proposal during the general election to provide 500,000 won per person nationwide as emergency disaster relief, Kim said, "He did not change his words," emphasizing, "At that time, there were many budgets that could not be used now, so the idea was to adjust 100 trillion won in budget items and distribute 500,000 won to all citizens from that. There was never a suggestion to issue national bonds like Bong-i Kim Seon-dal to distribute money."

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