A civic group and a ruling-party lawmaker say South Korea has repeatedly set the standard median income below the calculation principles required by law, reducing access to welfare support. The standard determines eligibility and benefit levels for more than 80 programs, including basic livelihood, medical, housing and education assistance. An analysis found that applying the stated income-growth method could have added 38,632 households to this year’s livelihood-benefit rolls, while the four-person household standard was set at 6.494 million won instead of an estimated 7.6 million won.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare cited statistical volatility and said it would review improvements with the Central Living Security Committee, while critics are demanding that the calculation formula be disclosed and consistently applied.