Rep. So Byung-hoon Proposes Three Bills to Eliminate Social Security Blind Spots

So Byeonghun, Chairman of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced on April 14 that he has sponsored three amendment bills aimed at improving access to welfare services: the Partial Amendment to the Framework Act on Social Security, the Partial Amendment to the Act on the Use and Provision of Social Security Benefits and the Discovery of Recipients, and the Partial Amendment to the Disability Pension Act.

These proposed amendments focus on supplementing the current welfare delivery system, which is based on the principle of “application-based” access, and on strengthening the proactive role of the state.

At the 3rd plenary session of the March extraordinary National Assembly held on the 31st, So Byeonghun, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was elected as the chairman of the Health and Welfare Committee, is giving his victory speech. March 31, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Under the current system, individuals must apply directly in order to receive social security benefits. However, due to a lack of information about the system and the complexity of application procedures, there have been ongoing cases where those who are most in need fail to receive the welfare benefits they are entitled to.

To address this, the amendments establish a legal foundation for the government and local authorities to proactively identify those in the welfare blind spots and to provide benefits even without formal applications.

The amendment to the Framework Act on Social Security explicitly states the responsibility of the state and local governments to eliminate welfare blind spots, allowing them to proactively identify citizens at social risk and, following investigation and review, provide benefits even if no application has been submitted.

The amendment to the Social Security Benefits Act allows for the provision of benefits if eligibility is confirmed, even without a formal application.

The amendment to the Disability Pension Act enables the automatic payment of disability pensions to those receiving livelihood or medical benefits without requiring an application, streamlines and deems the application process completed when eligibility is confirmed, and strengthens the protection of the substantive rights of low-income individuals with disabilities.

Assemblyman So said, “The current welfare system still requires people to apply in order to receive support, which results in those most in need often remaining outside the system,” emphasizing, “It is time to shift to a proactive welfare system, where the state reaches out to provide support, rather than waiting for the public to come forward.”

He added, “These amendments go beyond mere improvements to the system—they serve as the minimum safeguard to ensure the substantive social security rights of the people.”

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