Why is the universal disaster relief fund needed now? It is the government's responsibility to protect the survival of its citizens.

Emergency Economic Inspection Task Force Activation

In June 2025, the Lee Jae-myung government is operating an emergency economic monitoring task force (TF) immediately after its launch and is seriously reviewing the preparation of a supplementary budget worth 20 to 30 trillion won to focus on economic recovery and stabilization of people's livelihoods. From the first cabinet meeting, the government has prioritized fiscal input and livelihood policies as the top tasks for economic stability and has also begun to nurture strategic industries such as semiconductors, future vehicles, and energy, aiming to achieve a potential growth rate of 3%.

Economic Crisis and the Necessity of Disaster Relief Funds

The government's comprehensive emergency response is a swift reaction to warnings that the current economic situation could lead to a structural crisis beyond simple economic slowdown. As a starting point to break this crisis, the immediate discussion of disaster relief payments for all citizens must take place. The reasons are clear.

Stabilizing people's livelihood and stimulating consumption

Currently, the public's wallet is closed. According to Statistics Korea, the Consumer Sentiment Index (CCSI) for the first quarter of 2025 has decreased compared to the previous year, and the rate of increase in living costs has reached 3.8%, delivering a harsh blow to the middle and lower-income classes. Spending is decreasing, and anxiety is growing. This sentiment leads to decreased demand from businesses, production contraction, and reduced employment, amplifying the downward pressure on the economy as a whole. It is at this point that the role of disaster relief funds becomes important. It is not just simple cash payments but a direct means of stimulating immediate and substantial consumption, thus directly affecting the lives of the people.

Positive Effects of Disaster Relief Funds

Low-income groups can expand their consumption directly related to livelihood maintenance, the middle class can recover their spending capacity on living services such as dining out, education, and healthcare, and high-income groups can contribute to stabilizing economic sentiment. There are also empirical cases. Shortly after the first nationwide disaster relief payment in 2020, card sales increased by 11% compared to the previous year, and especially in traditional markets and alley businesses, a consumption increase of over 30% was confirmed. This is a representative case where disaster relief payments are connected to actual purchasing power, driving the real economy.

Positive cycle structure of consumption increase

The disaster relief fund is the starting point of a virtuous cycle that leads to the stabilization of citizens' lives → increased consumption → recovery of corporate profits → and an increase in tax revenue. It is significant not only for short-term economic stimulus but also for restoring the overall economic sentiment of society.

Revitalization of domestic consumption and local economy

To maximize the effect of disaster relief funds, it is important to distribute them in the form of local currency or local gift certificates. This concentrates consumption in the local market, dispersing the concentration of consumption centered on large distribution networks, and is a powerful measure to restore the domestic economy centered on small business owners and self-employed individuals.

Consumption Conversion Rate of Local Currency

According to a report by the Korea Economic Research Institute, local currency recorded a consumption conversion rate approximately 1.5 times higher than cash, and its re-distribution is active, contributing to the circulation of funds within the region and creating a self-sustaining economic ecosystem. This structure leads to the following flow: increased sales for self-employed and small businesses, job retention and employment expansion, recovery of trust in the local economy, strengthening of local government financial foundations, and improvement of public services.

Positive Impact on Small Business Owners and Self-Employed Individuals

Furthermore, this distributes consumption that was concentrated in large online platforms, providing new survival opportunities for local economies that have been marginalized amid digital transformation. Beyond mere economic stimulation, it can serve as a strategic choice to lay the foundation for balanced national development.

Social Solidarity and Restoration of Trust in the State

When disaster relief funds are universally distributed, all citizens receive equal support without discrimination. This carries a value that goes beyond simple monetary compensation. It signals that the state has actively stepped up under the principles of fairness and solidarity to protect the lives of all its people.

The importance of a nation's swift response

When society is in crisis, only a state that responds to its citizens reliably and swiftly can gain trust. Beyond political disputes, it is time for policies to become a means of restoring trust with the people.

The Importance of Financial Burden and Universal Payment

Short-term treasury issuance and flexible tax management can be sufficiently tolerated, and considering the effects of increased tax revenue due to economic recovery, it is much more cost-effective than a long-term recession. Selective payments lead to increased administrative costs, equity debates, and public distrust. Universal payments have a significant advantage in terms of speed, trust, and social acceptability.

Conclusion: Time for the People to Respond

The Lee Jae-myung government is responding preemptively to the crisis through the activation of the emergency economic task force, supplementary budget preparation, fostering strategic industries, and policies centered on people's livelihoods. However, at this very moment, a decisive step is needed to open the wallets of the anxious citizens and improve their lives. That step is the disaster relief fund for all citizens.

An impetus for economic recovery

This is not just a simple welfare policy, but a catalyst for economic recovery and a signal of national solidarity sent to all citizens. The political realm has a responsibility to prioritize the lives of each and every citizen over political disputes.

The Role of the State

When each and every citizen is empowered, only then does the nation fulfill its role.