Lee Jae-myung "Annual Basic Income of 2 Million Won... Towards a Country Growing Again"

Democratic Party Leadership Candidate Attends Jeonbuk Joint Rally
Lee: "Crisis Is an Opportunity... We Must Prepare a Basic Society"

Lee Jae-myung, the candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea, emphasized, "We need to prepare a 'basic society' by providing 'basic income' through local currency and paying relatively more the farther one is from Seoul."

On the afternoon of the 3rd, at a joint speech event held at Wonkwang University in Iksan, Jeonbuk, Lee said, "Our society is now entering the era of 'super (超) science and technology,'" adding, "Artificial intelligence robots will replace human jobs, leading to infinite increases in productivity, but people will lose jobs and be unable to earn income." He continued, "With extreme polarization dividing society into ultra-rich and a majority of poor, social conflicts will arise, and our community will not be able to sustain itself properly," adding, "Our future must be a society that takes responsibility for the basic lives of the people through tremendous productivity.

On the 28th, at the joint speech event for the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader and supreme councilor candidates, Lee Jae-myung, the party leader candidate, is greeting. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He said, "A crisis is an opportunity," and "If we prepare a universal basic society in advance, it will be an opportunity, but if we neglect it and get dragged along as we are now, we will pay a huge price." He then stated, "Muju County has a population of 23,000 with a budget of 22 million KRW per person, and Jeonbuk has a budget of 50 million KRW per person," adding, "If Muju County and Jeonbuk each contribute just 1 million KRW to introduce an annual 'rural basic income' of 2 million KRW per person, wouldn't people return to Muju?" Furthermore, "When basic income of 150,000 KRW per person was provided in Cheongsan-myeon, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, the population, which had been continuously declining, actually increased," emphasizing, "That small amount is revitalizing the neighborhood."

Also, at the speech event, Lee said, "If energy rates vary by distance so that electricity is cheaper closer to production sites, and if tax benefits are given and regulations eased for companies moving to local areas, wouldn't the regions thrive?" He added, "Let us all join hands and move toward a new country, a country of opportunity, and a country that grows again," concluding, "I will surely create a hopeful country together with you."