Lee Jae-myung "I Have Not Changed My Conviction on Providing Disaster Relief Funds to All Citizens"

Proposing an Alternative: Giving 100,000 Won to All Citizens and Targeted Support for Vulnerable Groups

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, proposed a new alternative regarding the government's second disaster relief fund payment, suggesting giving 100,000 KRW to all citizens and selectively providing the remaining amount as targeted support.

He also requested the government to actively consider a universal support plan starting from the third relief fund, as COVID-19 is inevitably prolonged. Furthermore, in response to criticism that he had abandoned his principle of universal disaster relief payments, he explained that while he has the responsibility to express opinions until party policies are finalized, once decisions are made, it is the duty of organizational members to follow them.

On the 4th, through Facebook, Governor Lee stated, "There are reports that the ruling party and government are considering selectively supporting 8 to 10 trillion KRW for the second disaster relief, but since the total support amount has already been decided, the method of support within that range clearly does not affect fiscal soundness."

He continued, "Selective support has its advantages, but public opinion reveals that it damages the solidarity most crucial for overcoming the crisis, causes conflicts, and places a serious burden on the Democratic Party and the Moon Jae-in administration," expressing concern.

Therefore, he urged the government to "If the prepared disaster relief fund is 8 trillion KRW, provide 100,000 KRW per citizen as regional currency with a three-month expiration to support households, increase sales for self-employed businesses, boost corporate production, and enhance national solidarity, while selectively providing the remaining funds as targeted support (for vulnerable groups), considering a compromise plan."

In particular, he proposed, "Since the unprecedented disaster caused by COVID-19 will be prolonged and the third and fourth disaster relief payments are inevitable, take this opportunity to provide universal support, but also preemptively consider methods such as recovering tax reductions from high-income earners based on certain criteria during next year's income tax settlement."

He added, "The economic crisis caused by COVID-19 will inevitably be prolonged, and even after overcoming COVID-19 with current economic and fiscal policies, economic recession due to digitalization from the technological revolution, labor disappearance, extreme income polarization, and a consumption demand cliff will continue," advising, "It would be good to proactively consider qualitatively new policies suited to the new normal."

Regarding some media reports that "Lee Jae-myung abandoned his principle of universal payments," he emphasized, "A political party does not need to be a strictly hierarchical or perfectly disciplined army, but it should not become a dysfunctional family either. As a member of the Democratic Party and the Moon Jae-in administration, I have the responsibility to express opinions on matters directly related to the lives of Gyeonggi residents until party policies are finalized, but at the same time, as an organizational member, I also have the responsibility to accept and follow the party and government decisions that are lawful and proper."

He also stated, "Since policies involve conflicting interests, pros and cons, and debates, it is impossible to assert that some policies are completely right and others are wrong. My principle that support as an economic policy for a disaster experienced by everyone should be universal, more efficient, and just remains unchanged, but I do not think the position to selectively provide payments due to limited resources is entirely wrong," he added.

However, he requested, "Please carefully consider the meaning of the world's lowest level of household support, national debt ratio, and the world's highest household debt ratio," and actively called for expansionary fiscal policy, saying, "Even if the national debt ratio rises due to government bond issuance for expansionary fiscal policy to revive the economy and households, it still does not reach half of the OECD average. Therefore, I believe the evaluation by future generations that 'the national debt ratio increased but the economy and people's livelihoods were saved' is much more meaningful than the evaluation that 'the economy was ruined but the national debt ratio was maintained.'"

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