Won Hee-ryong fiercely criticizes Lee Jae-myung's basic income theory as "quack-like talk... Heo Kyung-young-style agitation"

Criticism of Na Kyung-won's Pledge: "Money Won't Make People Have Children"

Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 10th, Won Heeryong, Governor of Jeju Province, criticized Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who advocated for 'an annual basic income of 1 million won per person', calling it "a quack's talk."

Won appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that day and said, "(If we follow Governor Lee's claim) it would cost 52 trillion won per year. The big question is whether this is basic income or strengthening the welfare state, but Lee says he will do both," he said.

He added, "Unemployment benefits paid annually amount to 9 trillion won. They say it requires an additional 3 to 4 trillion won for nationwide unemployment insurance, but 52 trillion won? Even half of that amount would be enough to provide nationwide unemployment benefits, childcare support for all parents when they have children, and nationwide parental leave support," he said.

Regarding Lee's claim that "politics makes the impossible possible," Won sarcastically remarked, "Heo Kyung-young says the same thing. Why not give 100 million won each?" He then criticized, "(Lee's basic income) is a Heo Kyung-young-style propaganda of income-led growth."

Won also criticized the 100,000 won disaster relief fund given to all Gyeonggi residents, saying, "Providing support indiscriminately by dividing it equally among everyone is neither just nor effective, and it actually wastes limited resources." He added, "Looking at how the funds were raised, they used all the funds available in Gyeonggi Province. It is said that it will take 14 years to repay these funds."

Additionally, Won criticized Na Kyung-won, the People Power Party's Seoul mayoral by-election preliminary candidate's pledge. Previously, Na promised to support interest payments worth up to 117 million won for youth and newlyweds living in land-lease housing.

Won responded, "Giving money doesn't make people have children," pointing out, "When people have children, their careers are interrupted, and the social childcare environment is inadequate for raising children throughout their lives."

He continued, "'Saying that giving cash will solve a policy issue' is easy. But when you give one thing, you have to consider where the money comes from. Ultimately, it all comes from taxpayers' money, so you have to see what other areas might suffer as a result."

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