[12/18, Tuesday.] Do we really need a “universal welfare system”?

[Ashley SK]

  No Korean citizen would oppose the idea of expanding welfare. Nevertheless, Korean society has yet to reach an agreement on the approach and method. Both the ruling and opposition parties may have the universal welfare model of Sweden in mind. But it is risky to argue that Korea can also succeed with the Swedish approach based solely on its accomplishments. We need to study the course that the Swedish model has taken in order to get the wisdom to build a Korean-style welfare system. Experts say that the discussions about welfare should be encouraged more intensely through elections. In Sweden’s case, the Social Democratic Party, which came into power in the 1930s, formed a coalition with the conservative Farmers’ League and proposed a welfare model. It could only complete the universal welfare system in the 1970s. We need to pay attention to the fact that Sweden held over 10 national elections in the process to allow voters to constantly verify the welfare models proposed by each party.

In Korea, however, People seem to think that the single referendum on free school lunches in Seoul has ended the controversy over welfare. The controversy does not end just because the Grand National Party lost the referendum and changed the slogan of its welfare policy to “popular welfare.” Each political party needs to present its welfare vision and policy to bring hope to citizens based on the values each party pursues, competing with one another earnestly.  Grand National Party insists that government should adopt selective welfare because of funding issues. Park Geun-hye, the former chairwoman of the Grand National Party, said that it was important to make welfare priorities based on available funding, and only then would we be able to build a Korean-style welfare system. She also added promoting society’s welfare cannot be accomplished by reforming just the welfare system. It should be pursued in conjunction with reforms in taxation, central and local administration and education.

On the other hand, Democratic Party has supported universal welfare in that Government takes good care of al infrastructure and it leads to less competition and good lifestyle. They said, it would be possible to arrange 15 trillion Won ($13.4 billion) per year through financial reforms cutting five percent of unnecessary budget items such as the Lee Myung-bak administration’s Four Major Rivers Restoration Project and excessive publicity campaign expenses. Also, it said, at least another 21.5 trillion Won per year could be arranged through taxation reforms.

The two parties have one thing in common. Their commitments will inevitably lead to the rise of the government debts. Even without further increasing welfare program, Korea has seen its debt growing at the fastest rate in the OECD countries. The late President Kim had to increase the national debt massively to help the economy move out of its unprecedented crisis. He spent more than 110 trillion won (about $100 billion) to clean the balance sheets of troubled banks. The ensuing liberal President Roh Moo-hyun was also bold in welfare spending and on iconic construction projects, including the new administrative town in central Chungcheong Province. The current Lee administration adopted an aggressive fiscal stimulus to protect the economy from the global financial crisis in 2008.

Do you think we really need a ‘Universal welfare system’? Why do you think so? We’ll divide the group into two sides over the assumption that we need a ‘Universal welfare system’, and have an intensive debate.

It is necessary for us to choose which one should be used. Democratic Unified Party? Saenuri Party?

1. Do we really need a “universal welfare system”?

2. What do you think that the government adopts selective welfare because of funding issues.

For example, Some students they can have a lunch for free in the school as well as tuition fee but rich students can't because they are rich so that they don't have to get a support from the goverment.

3. Which party do you prefer? (If you don't have any preference between two parties or among other parties, you don't have to talk about and just listen to other members opinions)

4. Who would you like to support for Korea's newly becoming president?(If you don't want to speak out, you don't have to reveal the candidate you think of and just listen to other members opinions)

5. Will you vote for this presidential election?

[imhoteph]

I can resume the study from Wednesday. See you tomorrow. - Daniel

[Ashley SK]

There`s no class on Wednesday!~ You have to know about it Daniel.^^

[Ashley SK]

Wait for around 5 or 10 mins... I am doing something.

[Ashley SK]

Attendees(Ashley,Bruce,Sadie,Elizabeth,Chris,Jade,Spring)