Is Kim Jong-in's "Great Transformation" Emerging by Seizing the Basic Income Issue?

Moves to Promote Research Groups Within the Party
Opposition Voices May Arise Like During Past 'Conservative Deletion' Efforts

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kim Hye-min] There is speculation that Kim Jong-in, the former general election committee chairman who will lead the United Future Party's Emergency Response Committee (ERC), may make a major policy shift by putting the basic income issue at the forefront. This move, aimed at targeting the centrist voters instead of conservatives, is spreading within the party, with a research group on basic income being formed mainly by young reformist lawmakers.

Lee Jun-seok, a Supreme Council member of the United Future Party, appeared on KBS Radio's "Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs" on the 25th and said, "Seeing that former Chairman Kim has been mentioning basic income more frequently, I think there will be a proactive statement on basic income," adding, "Different versions of basic income may emerge depending on whether it is conservative or progressive."

Voices calling for serious discussion of basic income are growing within the party. Kim Woong, a first-term lawmaker who is gaining attention within the United Future Party, is a representative case. In a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 26th, Kim said, "We are promoting the formation of a research group among lawmakers interested in basic income," adding, "About six to seven members are expected to participate." The group plans to discuss concrete measures through meetings within the party.

This move by the United Future Party is based on the idea that the basic income system, previously regarded as an issue of the progressive camp, can be brought into the conservative camp to gain a first-mover advantage. Before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, local government heads from the ruling coalition raised the issue of disaster basic income, but the United Future Party responded passively, calling it "election populism." Although the party later changed its stance to "universal payment" during the general election phase, it failed to lead the discussion.

However, with the 2022 presidential election approaching, the basic income issue is likely to become a hot topic again, making it difficult for the United Future Party to continue ignoring it. Jo Hae-jin, a lawmaker who was the running mate of candidate Kwon Young-se during the floor leader election, also stated, "The United Future Party should proactively consider the basic income system."

Oh Se-hoon, former mayor of Seoul and a potential presidential candidate within the party, emphasized in an interview with JoongAng Ilbo, "We should not let the Democratic Party of Korea take the lead in the basic income discussion." A re-elected lawmaker who supports the introduction of basic income said, "Unlike in the past, when job creation is no longer feasible, it is time to start discussing basic income," adding, "Looking at overseas cases, conservative parties have taken the initiative on this agenda. There is no reason not to discuss it."

The main reason for this is to shift the party's position, which had leaned far-right, toward the center through a "left click" to target centrist voters. In the same vein, there is interest in whether the "Kim Jong-in reform" will overhaul the party platform.

Former Chairman Kim's recent remark in an interview with a broadcasting station that "it is better not to use the term conservative" is also interpreted as an intention to move away from conservatism toward a centrist pragmatic line. However, such a move could shake the party's conservative identity and may face internal resistance. When Kim previously tried to remove conservatism and insert "economic democratization" into the party platform and policies during the Saenuri Party era, it caused significant controversy. The ongoing veto against Kim Jong-in's ERC within the party is not unrelated to this.