Ruling Party Struggles Over 'Universal Disaster Relief'... Debating 'Universal vs. Selective Welfare'

'Disaster' Relief Payments to Victims as a Principle
Misunderstanding Between Selective vs Universal Welfare
Impact of COVID-19 Expansion to 1,319 People
Concerns Over Negative Effects of Consumption-Stimulating Disaster Relief Payments

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Yoon Ho-jung, floor leader, are attending the policy members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] The ruling party's shift back to providing disaster relief funds to the entire population, after initially deciding to give them to the bottom 80% income group, is understood to have been significantly influenced by Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung's 'universal vs. selective welfare debate.' Originally, disaster relief funds were not meant to be a matter of value judgment between universal and selective welfare, but Governor Lee framed it that way, which persuaded the ruling party's mainstream 'universal welfare advocates' to lean toward universal distribution.

The Democratic Party of Korea held a high-level party-government meeting on the 11th to discuss this issue, and it is highly likely that the decision will be made to provide the funds to the entire population. However, if issues arise regarding the appropriateness of providing disaster relief funds to stimulate consumption amid the resurgence of COVID-19 and strengthened social distancing, as well as the feasibility of securing the budget, the discussion itself may be postponed until after the COVID-19 situation stabilizes.

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the Supreme Council meeting on the 9th, "At the high-level party-government meeting on the 11th, we will review the situation (such as the spread of COVID-19) and gather public opinion to discuss how to ensure that as many people as possible can benefit." This means that the intention to expand the scope of payment, which was the main opinion at the Democratic Party policy parliamentary meeting on the 7th, will be carried forward at the meeting on the 11th.

Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province and a presidential candidate in the Democratic Party primary, is delivering a greeting at the "National Assembly Forum on the Enactment of the Real Estate Market Act" held on the 6th at the Glad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The trigger for the voices calling for an expansion of the scope at the parliamentary meeting on the 7th was Governor Lee's statement on the 6th. On the 6th, Governor Lee posted on Facebook, "It goes against the principle of community. It is better to provide (a reduced amount) to the entire population." Min Hyung-bae, a lawmaker supporting Governor Lee, also expressed the same view at the parliamentary meeting, saying, "Selective payment creates unnecessary procedures and raises issues of discrimination against citizens. We must decisively provide funds to the entire population."

Within the Democratic Party, there is criticism that Governor Lee's interpretation of the disaster relief fund discussion as a universal vs. selective welfare debate has blurred the focus of the discussion. A first-term Democratic Party lawmaker said, "Disaster relief funds are fundamentally meant to benefit disaster victims, but Governor Lee's side interpreted this as something similar to 'basic income,' which caused this phenomenon." He added, "As the disaster relief fund debate turned into a welfare philosophy debate, the party's mainstream universal welfare advocates seemed to have been persuaded. The focus of the discussion has become blurred." A senior lawmaker from the Welfare Committee also said, "The problem was that opposing universal payment made one appear as if they were a selective welfare advocate."

The recent rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, which has put the quarantine system on alert, could also act as a variable in the discussion. There is a possibility that the related discussion itself could be postponed while waiting for the spread to subside. A key Democratic Party official said, "Since the core purpose of providing disaster relief funds is to boost the economy and stimulate consumption, there is a possibility that the related decision-making will be delayed until after social distancing measures are eased."

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