"Seoul Ansim Income" Renamed "Seoul Stepping Stone Income" as Nationwide Welfare Model Launches

Renamed as "Seoul Stepping Stone Income" Through Public Contest and Voting
Researching Policy Consistency and Nationwide Expansion
to Serve as a Stepping Stone for All Citizens

Seoul's flagship welfare model, known as "安心소득" (Ansim Income), has been renamed "Seoul Stepping Stone Income" as it embarks on a nationwide rollout to establish itself as a leading K-welfare model. Proposed by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to reduce income inequality and address welfare blind spots, "Seoul Stepping Stone Income" is a progressive welfare system that provides a certain percentage of support for households whose income falls short of the median income, with lower-income households receiving greater support.

On September 5, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it had finalized the new name for "Seoul Ansim Income"-a process that began in June-through a public contest and a citizen preference vote. In line with this, the city also announced that it would begin the legislative process to amend the "Ordinance on Resident Life Stability Support," changing all references to "Ansim Income" to "Seoul Stepping Stone Income" starting today.

Previously, in July of this year, ahead of the second anniversary of the program, Seoul launched a public contest to find a new name that would best encapsulate the core values and significance of the policy while also presenting it as a new K-welfare model. The contest attracted 12,580 submissions from across the country. After expert review, five finalists-Stepping Stone Income, Reliable Income, Run-Up Income, Growth Income, and Ansim Income-were selected, and a citizen preference vote was held. The name with the most votes was chosen as the new official title.

The new name, "Seoul Stepping Stone Income," received about 34% of the votes in the citizen preference poll, ranking first. The name signifies a solid foundation and stepping stone that helps people overcome difficult situations and move toward the future. Additionally, the official English name, "Seoul Stepping Stone Income," was chosen to ensure it is easily understood and relatable worldwide, with "Seoul Income" also to be used. The English name was selected to intuitively convey the positive meaning of supporting citizens' growth and advancement, while also reflecting the intent of the Korean title.

The effectiveness of "Seoul Stepping Stone Income" has already been demonstrated. An interim survey of first-phase participant households last year confirmed positive outcomes, including a high rate of benefit exit, increased consumption of essential goods, and improvements in mental health and nutrition. Currently, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is conducting a consistency study to examine the relationship between the existing social security system and Seoul Stepping Stone Income, and to propose a refined reform plan. This is part of efforts to expand the program nationwide and establish it as Korea’s representative welfare model.

Jung Sanghoon, Director of Welfare at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "The new K-welfare model is making a fresh start as 'Seoul Stepping Stone Income,' which represents a solid foundation for the self-reliance of vulnerable groups. We hope that Seoul Stepping Stone Income will become established not only in Seoul but also across the country, serving as a stepping stone for people to overcome challenges and move toward the future."