Seoul's 'Ansim Income' 2nd Anniversary... Oh Se-hoon "The Start of K-Welfare"

"Income Escape Rate Higher Compared to Beneficiary System"

As the pilot project of Seoul City's income security policy, 'Ansim Income,' marks its second anniversary, Mayor Oh Se-hoon of Seoul expressed pride in the policy, calling it the "so-called beginning of K-Welfare."

On the morning of the 4th, Mayor Oh attended a forum titled "Exploration and Challenges of Future Income Security Systems," held at the City Hall's main conference room in collaboration with the Korean Social Security Association. He stated, "Meaningful figures have begun to emerge through about a year of (Ansim Income) experimentation. Income has increased, and the rate of exiting the income support system is incomparably higher than the existing basic livelihood security system."

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is delivering a greeting at the "Seoul Guaranteed Income 2nd Anniversary Commemorative Future-Oriented Income Security System Discussion" held at 10 a.m. on the 4th in the large conference room on the 3rd floor of Seoul City Hall. Photo by Seoul City

Ansim Income is an income security model that targets households earning 85% or less of the median income, supplementing the household income that falls short of the standard income by a certain amount. Eligibility is maintained even if income exceeds the set standard, and it features a 'bottom-heavy' structure where those with lower income receive more support. The first project started in 2022 with 500 households and expanded to 1,600 households last year. In April, the support target was set to include low-income crisis households that do not receive national basic livelihood security but show signs of crisis such as families with children aged 9 to 34, overdue electricity bills, and unpaid national pension contributions.

The first interim survey results announced in December last year showed that Ansim Income had a higher exit rate compared to the existing national basic livelihood security system. The city explained that effects were confirmed in various areas such as mental health and nutritional improvement.

Mayor Oh emphasized, "These (pilot project) results are factors that make us look forward to the remaining additional experiments with great expectations," adding, "The fact that such policy experiments are being conducted is a pride of the Republic of Korea, and if we are to be more ambitious, it is the so-called beginning of K-Welfare."

At the forum, the city evaluated the achievements of Ansim Income over two years and sought directions for alternative income security systems. Professor Kim Tae-il of Korea University’s Department of Public Administration served as the chair, and Byun Geum-seon, a senior researcher at the Seoul Institute, presented on the topic "Ansim Income-Based Income Security Strategy and Direction," proposing directions for restructuring income security based on Ansim Income.

Following this, Yoo Jong-sung, director of the Korea Inequality Research Lab, examined the similarities and differences between basic income and Ansim Income, the possibility of an integrated approach, and discussed the significance of the Ansim Income policy experiment. Lim Wan-seop, head of the Basic Security Research Center at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, shared improvement directions based on the national basic livelihood security system.

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