Candidate Kim Dae-jung for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Promises to Introduce the Nation's First Basic Education Income

Legal Amendment Enables 'First Payment in Jeonnam' to Prevent Regional Decline

Candidate Kim Dae-jung for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Kim Dae-jung, candidate for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education, strongly expressed his intention to introduce the nation’s first-ever ‘Education Basic Income.’

On the 16th at 10 a.m., candidate Kim held a press conference at the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education and stated, “If I become superintendent, I will implement an education basic income of 200,000 KRW per month, totaling 2.4 million KRW annually, starting with elementary school students in areas at risk of extinction.” He added, “We will begin by allocating 9.7 billion KRW from the education office budget and gradually expand the program using the local extinction fund.”

Candidate Kim said, “This year, the Special Act on Support for Areas at Risk of Extinction will be enacted. The special law will include legal grounds for budget support, and I will do my best with members of the National Assembly to enact a ‘(tentative name) Education Basic Income Act or Education Allowance Act,’ similar to the Child Allowance Act.” He emphasized, “Only Kim Dae-jung, who has experience in politics, administration, and education, can accomplish this.”

He continued, “Education basic income is a timely issue that South Korea must solve. It is only natural that Jeonnam, the first metropolitan area at risk of extinction nationwide, should be the first to start this.” He reiterated, “If education administration is conducted only within the limits allowed by law and budget, we cannot save regions that are disappearing. If necessary, we must amend the law and secure new budgets to ensure that education basic income is paid.”

Furthermore, he said, “When I was the chairman of Mokpo City Council, I was the first to implement free meals for children at risk of hunger. At that time, both the education office and city hall opposed it as unfeasible, but it was eventually implemented.” He claimed, “Education basic income is the only way to bridge the educational gap between the metropolitan area and non-metropolitan areas, urban and rural areas, and the haves and have-nots.”

Candidate Kim pointed out, “Education basic income is a practical alternative to the child allowance, which needs to be expanded in age. Among the 33 OECD member countries, 29 provide child allowances up to age 15, whereas we pay 100,000 KRW monthly only up to age 8.”

He added, “As of 2020, South Korea’s total fertility rate is 0.84, the lowest in the world. According to a report by the U.S. CNN, the total cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 in Korea is about 300 million KRW, which is 7.79 times the per capita GDP (based on 2013), the highest level worldwide.” He concluded, “We must achieve a great transformation of South Korea by reducing the burden on citizens through education basic income.”

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