'Baekgajaengmyeong'... Won Heeryong also says "Productive Welfare, Basic Income," Kim Boo-kyum says "Expand Employment Insurance First"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Park Cheol-eung and Lee Ji-eun] The ruling and opposition parties' presidential hopefuls are presenting plans for social safety nets, including the introduction of basic income and the expansion of employment insurance.

On the morning of the 9th, Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong spoke at the 'Korea Future Innovation Forum' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, stating, "Basic income is an approach through productive welfare to support education, jobs, and the practical lives of the people. It is a policy that guarantees the basic capabilities and basic opportunities of the citizens."

He continued, "The opposition party has been criticized as a group lacking empathy for the people, ignoring the fact that Korean citizens are struggling with hunger and wounded pride, while only shouting the outdated 'market economy omnipotence' mantra. We need to recall why former President Park Chung-hee established nationwide medical insurance and why former President Kim Young-sam implemented the real-name financial system, and how they overcame opposition within their camps and resistance from vested interests."

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum emphasized on Facebook that "What must be prioritized now is strengthening the social safety net, including 'universal employment insurance.' Basic income payments can be a symptomatic treatment for the immediate COVID-19 crisis. However, basic income should be considered from a longer-term perspective of 'post-COVID-19.'"

He pointed out that Finland and Switzerland, often cited as representative cases of basic income, were both countries with well-established social safety nets. Kim said, "Both countries, cited as precedents for basic income, conducted experiments after first building social safety nets. There is a definite need to support 5.5 million workers in blind spots, such as temporary and daily workers who are not enrolled. The application to special types of workers, platform workers, and freelancers, who were excluded from the 20th National Assembly, must be finalized in this year's National Assembly. The mandatory enrollment of self-employed workers in employment insurance should also be expanded."

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon also advocates for the urgency of universal employment insurance over basic income, prioritizing support for vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly Budget Office has launched a study on overseas cases to support discussions on the introduction of universal employment insurance. On the 8th, the Budget Office announced a research project titled 'Comparative Analysis of the Expansion Paths of Employment Safety Nets for Workers in the Blind Spots of Employment Insurance by Country and Its Implications.'

The study will examine the scale and expansion process of non-standard workers, such as special-type workers and freelancers, who exist in the intermediate zone between traditional wage workers and self-employed workers in each country. It will also investigate whether non-standard workers are enrolled in employment insurance and the employment safety nets available to those not enrolled.

Additionally, the study will analyze general fiscal projects such as unemployment assistance, vocational training, and direct job creation to derive implications for expanding Korea's employment safety net. The research period is five months, with results expected within the year.

The government announced on the 1st, when unveiling the economic policy direction for the second half of the year, that it will push for amendments to the Employment Insurance Act within the year to expand mandatory employment insurance enrollment to special-type workers and will prepare a roadmap to gradually expand the coverage so that all employed persons can receive employment insurance benefits.

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