'Indiscriminate Crimes' and the Path Forward for the Social Security Schemes

[Seoul Sinmun · Open World · September 17, 2012]

Yun Suk-myung, Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA)

Social security schemes, introduced by Otto von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor of Germany in the late 19th century to address the social risks of urban workers produced by the Industrial Revolution, have developed into various forms tailored to the characteristics of each country under the name of the welfare state. We have also introduced social insurance schemes in the order of industrial accident insurance, the National Health Insurance, the National Pension, and employment insurance to prepare for unemployment, workplace injuries, illness, and income gaps after retirement. In addition, for those with no income or very low income, the state guarantees a minimum standard of living through the National Basic Living Security System (NBLSS) and the medical benefit.

Looking into the interior of our society, which outwardly seems to have everything in place, there are not a few loopholes in the operation of these schemes. This is even more true for social insurance intended primarily for income security, such as employment insurance and the National Pension, despite the efforts of policy authorities. This is because the application rate of social security schemes among vulnerable groups is very low due to frequent job changes caused by unstable employment, resulting irregular income and low income levels, and above all, a lack of understanding and low accessibility regarding social security schemes. Reflecting on the raison d'être of social security—that it was introduced to provide a foothold for recovery when difficulties arise—it becomes clear that there are significant problems in the operation of our country's social security schemes. While those who can live well on their own strength are included in all kinds of social security schemes, many of the vulnerable groups, who are most exposed to social risks and desperately need social security, are instead excluded from the scope of application.

Between the high-income class, who cope with social risks not only through state-run social security schemes but also through private insurance, and the other extreme—those with very low incomes receiving benefits from the NBLSS—there are many groups who give up on joining social insurance altogether, lacking hope in life as they struggle just to survive day by day. As long as this polarization is so distinct, we must seek ways to make social security more robust while also enhancing its substance. This is why government support projects for vulnerable groups, such as 'Durunuri Social Insurance'—a social insurance contribution support project for low-income workers that began full implementation in the second half of this year—must be further activated. Through the activation of such projects, we must minimize the polarization of social security and ensure that seeds of hope can survive.

This past summer, which was extremely hot, saw powerful typhoons sweep around the Korean Peninsula, causing extreme suffering for many people, including farmers. Recently, citizens have been trembling in anxiety due to 'indiscriminate crimes' that break out almost every day. Unlike the traces left by a typhoon, the scars left by 'indiscriminate crimes' are invisible, yet they leave deeper psychological trauma in our society than any typhoon. Various reasons are suggested for the occurrence of 'indiscriminate crimes,' but among them, the claim that it is because there was no hope for the future sounds the most persuasive. This is because a person who believes their future is promising has no reason to harm others to the extent of ruining their own path.

On this occasion, it is necessary for everyone to make various efforts so that social security schemes can function according to their original purpose. We must ensure that social security schemes act as a foothold for recovery when solving problems through one's own efforts alone is difficult on the long voyage of life. In such a society, the hope of all members of society remains alive, making it possible to secure social dynamism, and 'indiscriminate crimes,' which are inflicting enormous trauma upon us, will also significantly decrease.

We must not neglect the vulnerable groups marginalized in our society just because their voices are quieter than those of other groups. This is because, although they may not explode now, they could become time bombs that one day deliver a massive shock to our society. Now is the time for all of us to look around at the surrounding circumstances with warm hearts and cool heads and contemplate the desirable direction for the development of social security schemes to heal this. The future of a society where many members feel there is no hope cannot help but be dark. History repeats itself. It is time to think deeply about what the starting points were for the French Revolution in the distance, and the Donghak Peasant Revolution more recently.

Source: Seoul Sinmun (original article)