[Yoon Government Task] Monthly 1 Million Won Parent Allowance... Strengthening 'State Responsibility' for Vaccine Side Effects

Science-Based Infectious Disease Response... Vaccine and Therapeutic Development Strategy Established
Pension Reform for Sustainability and Fairness
Promotion of Reserve Integration and Expanded Support for Infertile Couples' Treatments

Ahn Cheol-soo, Chairman of the 20th Presidential Transition Committee, is announcing the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's 110 national tasks at the transition office in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Starting next year, parents who have children will receive 700,000 KRW per month. To alleviate elderly poverty, the basic pension will be gradually increased from 300,000 KRW to 400,000 KRW per month.

The 110 national agenda items of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, announced by the Presidential Transition Committee on the 3rd, include cash guarantee policies such as parental allowance payments and basic pension increases that President-elect Yoon has previously pledged through campaign promises.

First, from 2024, a parental allowance of 1,000,000 KRW per month will be provided for children aged 0 to 11 months. The intention is to support home childcare and significantly reduce the economic burden on parents. Next year, 700,000 KRW will be paid monthly, and from 2024, the amount will be gradually increased to 1,000,000 KRW per month.

Regarding childcare services, the teacher-to-child ratio and facility area per child will be reviewed for improvement, and efforts will be made to improve the treatment of childcare teachers. Additionally, a 'Preschool Integration Promotion Team' will be formed, led by the Ministry of Health and Welfare with participation from related ministries, to prepare a phased integration plan for childcare and early childhood education targeting children aged 0 to 5. Plans to expand support for infertility treatment costs for couples and mental health support are also under consideration.

The national agenda includes a commitment to reform the national pension system under the item titled 'Sustainable Welfare State Reform.' To enhance the sustainability and fairness of the national pension and strengthen old-age income security, pension reform will be promoted through a social consensus process. Based on long-term fiscal projections, a reform plan for the national pension system will be prepared, and social consensus will be sought through the 'Public Pension Reform Committee.' To alleviate elderly poverty, as pledged, the basic pension will be gradually increased from 300,000 KRW to 400,000 KRW.

Along with strengthening the infectious disease response system such as for COVID-19, the state responsibility for vaccine adverse reactions will also be enhanced. While promoting the transition of quarantine and medical systems according to infectious disease level adjustments, a fast track will be introduced for rapid treatment of high-risk groups, and evidence-based quarantine will be pursued through large-scale antibody surveys and investigations of long-term aftereffects (Long COVID). For vaccine adverse reactions, the review procedures for causality and related diseases will be simplified, and additional support will be provided for sudden deaths occurring within a certain period.

Regarding infectious diseases, the establishment of an independent expert advisory body will be promoted, and local (city/province, city/county/district, public health center) infectious disease response organizations will be expanded. Public medical infrastructure for infectious disease response, such as regional infectious disease specialized hospitals, will also be expanded.

As a post-COVID-19 measure, an innovative research and development system for infectious diseases will be established, and related legislation will be pursued to enable 'ultra-fast vaccine and therapeutic development' in the event of a pandemic.