Hwang Kyo-ahn: "Government Disaster Relief Fund Criteria Do Not Reflect Recent Damage... 500,000 Won Should Be Paid Immediately"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The United Future Party argued that the government's criteria for the emergency disaster relief fund for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) do not reflect recent damages and insisted that 500,000 won should be immediately paid to all citizens.

Hwang Kyo-ahn, the United Future Party's general election committee chairman, and Shin Se-don, co-chairman, stated in a public briefing on the 5th, "The emergency disaster relief fund based on the health insurance premium criteria decided by the government is neither paid immediately in cash nor has it avoided causing much dissatisfaction and confusion among the public regarding the payment criteria."

The government announced the payment criteria for the emergency disaster relief fund based on health insurance premiums on the 3rd.

Chairman Hwang pointed out, "This payment criterion is based on past income and does not reflect the damages caused by the recent disaster at all, nor does it reflect the COVID-19 damages suffered by self-employed individuals. It caused confusion among many people around the 70% threshold about whether they would receive the disaster relief fund or not, and since it requires a supplementary budget procedure, the disaster relief fund cannot be provided promptly. Also, since it is paid in gift certificates or electronic money, it causes many inconveniences in usage."

Accordingly, the United Future Party proposed immediately paying 500,000 won per person to all citizens, and suggested invoking the president's emergency financial and economic command authority to ensure payment through financial institutions within a week. They demanded that the necessary funds of about 25 trillion won be secured by reorganizing the 2020 budget of 512 trillion won. Chairman Hwang stated, "If the above proposal is accepted, the United Future Party will immediately cooperate in preparing the supplementary budget."