Kim Se-yeon to Lee Jae-myung: "Is 40,000 won per month basic income?"

Former National Assembly member Kim Se-yeon is giving a congratulatory speech at the 4th Youth Politics School graduation ceremony held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on November 8 last year.
(Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Jumi Lee] Former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Se-yeon directly criticized Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung's basic income policy.

On the 15th, Kim posted on Facebook, accusing Governor Lee Jae-myung of "forcibly calling something basic income that is difficult to be considered basic income."

He continued, "Calling a monthly payment of about 41,600 won 'basic income' is inappropriate because the gap between the name and the essence is too large," pointing out Governor Lee's so-called 'basic income theory.'

Earlier, Governor Lee proposed setting short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals for basic income payments at 500,000 won per year, 1 million won per year, and 2 million to 6 million won per year, respectively, and implementing them accordingly.

Kim criticized this, saying, "There is clearly a problem with the short-term and mid-term payment amounts," and added, "It might be possible to insist that a cosmetic sample is a cosmetic product, but putting a small amount of content that cannot be called basic income into a large package box and labeling it 'basic income' is like trying to sell it under false pretenses."

He further speculated, "I guess this was recklessly proposed to align with next year's presidential election schedule," and criticized, "If the strategy is to claim the achievement of the first implementation of basic income, it deserves criticism."

However, Kim showed a positive attitude toward the justification of basic income. He said, "Basic income is presented as an answer to the question of how to guarantee an individual's practical and ultimate freedom in a world where jobs are disappearing," and evaluated, "Governor Lee Jae-myung's realistic recognition of the technological revolution and its ripple effects is a progressive aspect."

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