58% of Koreans oppose 'anti-disaster basic income,' poll shows

An employee wearing a mask cleans the widows of a shoe store in Seoul, Sunday, March 8, 2020. Despite the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, most Koreans say they oppose an anti-disaster basic income. AP

By Jung Min-ho

Nearly 60 percent of Koreans say they oppose introducing a universal basic income in response to the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a survey conducted on Friday by Embrain Public, a local pollster, 57.6 percent of those questioned said they were against giving every citizen 1 million won ($830), while 39.8 percent said they were in favor. The rest (2.6 percent) did not respond.

Among supporters of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, 57.7 percent were in favor of the idea, whereas 81.5 percent of the main opposition United Future Party were against it.

The findings come as politicians across the country discuss the need for support for people whose businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19.

Last week, the Jeonju city government said it would offer 527,158 won to each of 50,000 citizens financially suffering as a result of the disaster. The cash will be given in the form of debit cards in April and should be spent in the city within three months.

Other cities and provinces may soon follow.

After South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo, a close confidant of President Moon Jae-in, proposed doling out 1 million won to all citizens, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon expressed their support.

The COVID-19 pandemic has so far infected more than 8,200 people and killed 76 in Korea as of Monday morning, wreaking havoc on businesses nationwide as people increasingly avoid public places.