[2022 National Audit] "Unemployment Benefit Minimum Amount 1/4 of General Public"... 'Artist Employment Insurance' Discriminating Against Artists

Monthly 50, Annual Income Over 6 Million Won Required... 73% Deemed 'Ineligible for Enrollment'
Minimum Unemployment Benefit for General Public 1.8 Million Won, Only 480,000 Won for Artists

The image of a band busking. Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The 'Employment Insurance System for Artists,' established to support artists who fall into the blind spots of the social safety net, is being criticized for discriminating against artists due to high enrollment barriers and extremely low benefit levels.

On the 24th, Lee Gaeho, a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, revealed through comprehensive audit materials on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that as of the end of August, 144,248 people had enrolled in the 'Employment Insurance System for Artists,' which has been in effect since December 10, 2020. However, compared to the actual number of artists, the number of enrollees is low, indicating high entry barriers, and unemployment benefits are significantly lower than those for the general public.

Currently, the enrollment condition for the Artists' Employment Insurance requires a 'cultural and artistic service contract amounting to at least 500,000 KRW per contract' (however, multiple contracts under 500,000 KRW totaling 500,000 KRW or more are also applicable), demanding an average monthly income of at least 500,000 KRW. However, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's '2021 Artist Survey,' 43% of artists responded that they have no income at all, and 30% reported an annual income below 5 million KRW, indicating that approximately 73% of artists are ineligible for insurance enrollment.

Regarding the 'unemployment benefit system,' which provides payments during periods of unemployment while seeking reemployment, the daily unemployment benefit ceiling for both general employment insurance and artists' employment insurance is the same, set at 66,000 KRW, based on 60% of the average wage over the previous three months before job separation. However, the minimum benefit amount shows a fourfold difference between general employment insurance and artists' employment insurance.

For the minimum amount, general employment insurance calculates it as 80% of the daily minimum wage, providing about 60120 KRW per day, which amounts to approximately 1.8 million KRW per month (30 days). In contrast, the daily minimum unemployment benefit for artists is calculated based on the minimum enrollment condition of a monthly salary of 500,000 KRW, resulting in 16,000 KRW per day and about 480,000 KRW per month. This is roughly one-quarter (26.6%) of the benefit level for general enrollees.

Representative Lee stated, “The government has established a good system called 'Employment Insurance for Artists' to help artists excluded from the employment safety net, but there are criticisms that the effectiveness of employment insurance is limited due to high enrollment barriers and regulations that discriminate against artists.” He added, “Even now, efforts should be made in consultation with related ministries such as the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service to ensure that no artists remain in the blind spots of the social safety net.”