Kim Dong-yeon: "Even Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye Administrations Did Not Do This"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon decisively criticized remarks made by President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon said on SNS, "President Yoon Suk-yeol said during yesterday's (May 31st) Social Security Strategy Meeting that 'social security services themselves must be marketized, industrialized, and a competitive system must be introduced,'" and opened his criticism by stating, "Introducing a competitive system in such institutions is nonsensical. If social security services are turned into competition or privatized, the state must answer why it is needed."

He continued, "If market logic expands further in social services, prices will rise, and the groups that most need these services will face exclusion from them, so marketization of social services is truly a dangerous idea," and expressed his view that "welfare is not a 'fiscal drain' but a 'social investment' for sustainable growth."

He emphasized, "It appears our economy is moving backward again, which is very regrettable. This is something that was not done during the Lee Myung-bak or Park Geun-hye administrations," adding, "I issue a stern warning. If social security is approached only through market principles as the president suggested, it will ultimately lead to the destruction of both welfare and the economy."

The following is the full text of Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon's SNS post.

<A Ridiculous Notion About Welfare>

President Yoon Suk-yeol said during yesterday's (May 31st) Social Security Strategy Meeting that 'social security services themselves must be marketized, industrialized, and a competitive system must be introduced.'

The primary purpose of social security systems is to protect vulnerable groups that capitalist competitive societies fail to care for. Introducing a competitive system in such institutions is nonsensical. If social security services are turned into competition or privatized, the state must answer why it is needed.

If market logic expands further in social services, prices will rise, and groups that most need these services will face exclusion from them. Therefore, marketization of social services is truly a dangerous idea.

The proposition that the service industry must be developed is correct. However, in this context, industry refers not to social services but to professional service industries such as healthcare, finance, law, and accounting.

Welfare is not a 'fiscal drain' but a 'social investment' for sustainable growth.

Social services provided on the basis of public assistance and social insurance protect vulnerable groups, provide economic activity opportunities for the families of beneficiaries, and create jobs—a triple benefit.

Our economy must not pursue quantitative growth again. 'Sustainable growth' through proactive social investment and 'high-quality growth' through establishing social safety nets are the path we must take.

These are contents already presented in the 'National Vision 2030' that I created as a responsible official 18 years ago. It is very regrettable that our economy appears to be moving backward again. This is something that was not done during the Lee Myung-bak or Park Geun-hye administrations.

This is a time when the state must play a greater role.

I issue a stern warning. If social security is approached only through market principles as the president suggests, it will ultimately lead to the destruction of both welfare and the economy. This is a message from genuine concern for our nation's economy that must be heeded.