경기도서 성남·고양만 빠졌던 ‘청년기본소득’, 불씨 다시 붙나

Two South Korean cities, Seongnam and Goyang, are considering reviving a social welfare program for young people that was previously discontinued. The Seongnam City Council's 18-member Democratic Party delegation has submitted a proposal for the 'Seongnam City Basic Income Support Ordinance,' which would provide all 24-year-old residents with a monthly allowance of 100,000 won (or 25,000 won per quarter) regardless of income.

This measure was first introduced in 2015 by President Park Geun-hye during her tenure as mayor of Seongnam, and later expanded to cover all 31 cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province under her leadership in 2018. However, the program was suspended in 2023 when the ruling Korean Citizens' Power (Gangnam) party lost its majority in the local legislature and the deal was not renewed.

With the Democratic Party now holding a majority in the newly elected Seongnam City Council, the chances of the ordinance's revival are high, provided the newly elected mayor does not invoke his right to reject the measure. The success of this proposal will serve as a test for the relationship between the legislative and executive branches of the local government.

The proposed ordinance's representative, Yun Hye-seon, argues that it aims to mitigate the economic insecurity and social inequality faced by the young generation during a period of high inflation and interest rates, and calls for its swift normalization in all 31 cities and counties of Gyeonggi Province. Goyang City, which discontinued the program under Mayor Moon Jin-seon's term due to budget shortages, is also witnessing a shift in political tides.

The party is now pushing to resume the payments in the fourth quarter, but the project's funding is currently being negotiated, and its implementation may be delayed until then.