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| ▲ President Yoon Suk Yeol (C) speaks during a strategic meeting on social security at the former presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, in Seoul on May 31, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) |
Yoon-social security
Yoon says social security services need to become more competitive
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday social security services need to become more competitive in order to ensure the country's resources do not go to waste.
Yoon made the remark while presiding over a social security strategy meeting aimed at assessing policies and harmonizing them with the administration's philosophy and principle on welfare, according to his office.
"If we hand out money uniformly, it's nothing more than spending money," he said during the meeting at the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae. "We have to marketize and industrialize social security services, and introduce a competitive system."
Yoon argued against universal welfare, saying more should be given to people who lack more and less given to people who lack less.
He also said the central government handles more than 1,000 welfare services and local governments handle more than 10,000, while the public is not even aware of them.
"If social security exceeds the level we can handle, it will eat away at our society," he said.
The meeting was attended by more than 50 people, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, ministers and vice ministers from 14 ministries, members of social security-related committees, and ruling People Power Party floor leader Yun Jae-ok.
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