Seeking Measures to Realize a 'Korean-Style Welfare State'... Launch of the 5th Social Security Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On the afternoon of the 12th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held the "5th Social Security Committee Private Members Workshop" at Dragon City Hotel in Yongsan, Seoul, under the theme of "Realizing a Sustainable Korean-style Welfare State."

The Social Security Committee is a public-private joint committee that establishes and deliberates mid- to long-term social security visions and strategies. It has held a total of 27 meetings so far, deliberating on major social security policies such as the "Basic Social Security Plan." The newly formed 5th committee, consisting of 104 private members, will operate until December 2024.

This workshop was organized to lay the foundation for supporting substantive activities of the committee over the next two years and to explore ways to develop the social security system.

In the first part of the workshop, Ahn Sang-hoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs, will deliver a keynote speech presenting the "Yoon Seok-yeol Government's Welfare State Strategy and Implementation Tasks." Following this, Kang Hye-gyu, Vice President of the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (a committee member), will give a presentation on "A Diagnosis of the Current State of Korea's Social Security System," and three Social Security Committee members will engage in designated discussions on the topic.

Vice President Kang approaches the crisis of the social safety net triggered by COVID-19 as a multidimensional social risk experienced in individuals' lives, diagnosing the current operation of the social security system and proposing future development directions.

In the second part, Professor Seok Jae-eun of the Department of Social Welfare at Hallym University (Chair of the Private Members of the Practical Committee) will present on "Suggestions for Strengthening the Functions and Roles of the Social Security Committee." Professor Seok will propose development tasks for the social security system considering Korea's unique characteristics amid changing social environments and emphasize the need for the Social Security Committee, as the social policy control tower stipulated by the Basic Social Security Act, to present mid- to long-term visions and policy roadmaps.

Following this, through free discussions within six specialized committees?planning, system coordination, system integration, evaluation, finance and statistics, and administrative data?tasks to be discussed and developed over two years to perform the committee's core duties will be explored.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong stated, "At a time when it is urgently necessary to operate a sustainable social security system that proactively protects citizens' lives from various social risks and passes it on to the next generation, the Social Security Committee is expected to become an important focal point in seeking the direction for realizing a 'Korean-style welfare state.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.