"Better to Join the Military Than Marry in Your 20s"
"Gift Tax Exemption May Be Halved"
"280 Trillion Failure Due to Abstract Policy Goals"
The People Power Party is considering a proposal to exempt the head of a household with three children born in their 20s from military service or gift tax as one of the measures to address low birth rates. However, Hong Seok-cheol, Standing Member of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, viewed this negatively, saying it "seems somewhat unrealistic."
On the 29th, Hong said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "To have three children in your 20s, you have to marry early, but if I tell my son to get married and have children quickly now, he might say, 'I'd rather go to the military,'" expressing his skepticism.
He added, "'Three children (and then) military service exemption' is quite excessive, but if it's considered some kind of incentive, it might be worth reconsidering differently." However, he also said, "Even if implemented, we need to recalculate how many more children would actually be born, but I don't think it would be a significant number."
Regarding the proposal to exempt gift tax, he said, "It seems necessary to review whether this is socially acceptable," adding, "If gift tax is exempted, the wealthy would likely receive more benefits, which could provoke various resentments."
President Yoon Suk-yeol, who presided over the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee meeting the day before, stated, "Despite spending 280 trillion won, the total fertility rate recorded 0.78 last year," and instructed, "We must coldly reevaluate low birthrate policies based on scientific evidence and properly identify the reasons for their failure."
Regarding why the low birthrate problem has not been solved despite investing 280 trillion won over the past 15 years, Hong said, "I think the goals were too abstract," explaining, "When the 4th Basic Plan was created, the policy goal was set as 'improving the quality of individual life.' Of course, this has important meaning and is a necessary policy, but to address low birthrate, more concrete policy goals are needed."
He emphasized that without specific goals to solve the low birthrate, it is difficult to achieve objectives with vague policy goals like 'improving the quality of individual life.' Hong said, "What we are currently advocating is creating an environment where people can marry, have children, and raise them well, which is the most concrete and realistic policy goal," adding, "People criticize the 280 trillion won as an enormous amount, but if you look at these policies, they are basically a comprehensive plan that includes many policies previously implemented by various ministries."
Because various ministries have been implementing low birthrate measures piecemeal, the 280 trillion won was spent without achieving significant effects. Hong stated, "I think the most important thing is to completely review the basic plan and focus on selecting truly necessary and effective policies," and added, "At yesterday's meeting, we announced a proposal to focus selection and concentration on five core areas." The 'Yoon Suk-yeol Government's Low Birthrate and Aging Society Policy Directions and Tasks' announced the day before included five core areas: ▲dense and high-quality care and education ▲time with children for working parents ▲family-friendly housing services ▲reduction of child-rearing cost burdens ▲healthy children, happy parents.
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