The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated Monday that expanding and integrating its welfare initiative nationwide is crucial for offering proactive support to individuals before they fall into poverty.
Stepping Stone Income is a city-introduced selective welfare program launched in July 2022 to provide income-based cash payments for households earning less than 85 percent of the median income.
Since joining the program, up to 8.6 percent of participating households have surpassed the 85 percent median income threshold and 31.1 percent have seen an increase in earned income.
As of this year, up to 2,076 households in the capital city receive funding through the welfare initiative, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
According to an analysis conducted by the Seoul Welfare Foundation -- a social service organization affiliated with the city government -- in collaboration with 15 other experts in the social welfare, economics and finance sectors, a more efficient welfare system could be created by integrating and merging the Stepping Stone Income welfare initiative with other initiatives currently led by the central government such as the Basic Livelihood Security Program and the National Employment Support System.
“A more robust and cohesive social safety net could be built by using Stepping Stone Income as the foundation when welfare programs overlap, to consolidate issues that arise due to overlapping cash benefits and to simplify the current income security framework,” said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon during Monday’s press briefing.
The study also proposed linking the program with the national pension scheme to create a more secure income system for senior citizens, particularly those in financially vulnerable groups.
“There are still many individuals in our society who should receive welfare benefits but remain unreached,” said Oh. “Rather than providing financial support only after people fall into poverty, we need a paradigm shift that offers preemptive support in a way that strengthens their overall resilience.”
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
