Lee Jae-myung's 'Basic Income' Expands Scope... Basic Income Political Joint Action Launches on the 24th

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The 'Basic Income Political Joint Action' for the realization of basic income has officially launched.

The Basic Income Political Joint Action held its launch ceremony on the 24th at Nicola Hall in JU Donggyo-dong, a youth cultural space in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and hosted a policy forum on the theme of "The Role and Prospects of Basic Income Political Movement at the 2022 Major Elections and the Current Moment."

The political joint action held a press conference proposing its launch for the expansion and solidarity of basic income politics on the 14th of last month and has been recruiting participating organizations since then.

Currently, 11 organizations aiming for the realization of basic income are participating in the joint action, including the Basic Income National Movement Headquarters, Basic Income Party, Basic Income Korea Network, Retirement Hope Union, Green Party, National Farmers' Basic Income Movement Headquarters, Lawyers for a Democratic Society Livelihood Economy Committee, Future Party, Children and Youth Basic Income Movement Headquarters, Alba Union, and Land+Freedom Research Institute.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung delivered a congratulatory video message at the launch ceremony, stating, "Basic income is the most effective and only alternative to respond to new changes," and added, "Since these changes are inevitable, we must take a step ahead and lead the future." He also expressed hope that the launch of the joint action would be "a meaningful opportunity to accelerate the realization of basic income."

Following the launch ceremony, the joint action held a policy forum.

As the keynote speaker, Geum Min, Director of the Political Economy Research Institute Alternative, said, "A specific funding model for basic income itself produces transformative effects," citing examples such as basic income funded by corrective taxes like land holding tax and carbon tax, and basic income through a shared equity model.

He also emphasized, "The basic income political movement is a movement for a great transformation of Korean society," and "Future basic income political movements must fully emphasize the transformative nature of basic income and persuade the public."

Discussants at the forum included Kim Jae-hyung, Policy Director of the Basic Income National Movement Headquarters; Shin Ji-hye, Co-Representative of the Basic Income Party; Ahn Hyo-sang, Co-Representative of the Basic Income Korea Network; and Kim Chan-hwi, Co-Representative of the Green Party.

Member of the National Assembly Yong Hye-in, who chaired the forum, remarked, "This forum held ahead of the 2022 major elections is significant as it brings together organizations that have each worked hard for the realization of basic income with a unified purpose, providing a place to present and discuss concrete paths for basic income politics." She added, "I hope this will be an opportunity to inform and communicate to the public that basic income is not just a simple system but a new social contract after the COVID-19 pandemic and a transition to social and ecological politics."

The joint action plans to actively carry out nationwide lectures and forums, public opinion surveys, legislative petitions to the National Assembly, and political campaigns to realize basic income in next year's presidential and nationwide local elections.