Nationwide Solidarity Network Launched to Counter Social Polarization

On 22 September, 133 Korean civil society organizations including labour unions jointly launched a combined action to counter the trend toward social polarization. At a meeting with the press, they called for overall institutional reform in labour, welfare, tax, etc. to reverse increasing polarization and achieve social integration. They criticized the government’s deceptive policy, in which the government outwardly emphasizes equitable growth and overcoming social polarization, but it actually encourages inequitable growth in the name of corporate investment promotion and economic revival, even though one in ten people live under the minimum living income, and there is an eighteen-fold difference between the incomes of the top 10% and bottom 10% of the population.

The network prioritized 21 problems selected from 7 social sectors to be reformed and plans on having the laws necessary for reform legislated and the budget for implementation allocated at the regular session of the National Assembly this year. The main policy recommendations by the network were: overcoming polarization in the labour market; progressive enlargement of free medical and educational services; guaranteeing minimum and stable income for the aged; realizing tax justice and improving income investigation; actively creating jobs in public and social service; and making both public responsibility in childcare and public responsibility in housing a reality.

The network called for an interview with the Prime Minister and representatives of political parties to talk about socioeconomic reforms for overcoming social polarization. Besides advocacy activities directed to government and political parties, the network has plans to hold public seminars and campaigns for public awareness as well as to publish newsletters.