"The Basic Pension That Is Given and Then Taken Away... The Government Is Leaving Poor Seniors Neglected, and No Fix Is Included"

[Financial News] A coalition of senior and welfare groups that support the right of elderly recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Security System (NBLSS) to receive the Basic Pension condemned the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on the 28th, saying it is allowing the Basic Pension to be given and then taken away.
The Poverty-Affected Seniors Coalition said in a statement that day, "The government's reform proposal does not include any measures to fix the Basic Pension that is given and then taken away."
At present, seniors receiving the NBLSS Livelihood Benefit also receive the Basic Pension because they fall within the eligibility threshold of the bottom 70% of income.
However, because the Basic Pension is fully counted in the income-recognition amount for the Livelihood Benefit, the same amount is deducted from the Livelihood Benefit the following month, even if the Basic Pension is deposited into their bank account on the 25th of each month.
The coalition pointed out that "under this structure, no matter how much the Basic Pension increases, there is no change in the total income of recipient seniors," adding that "as a result, more elderly recipients of basic livelihood support are choosing not to apply for the Basic Pension at all."
It also said, "Even in this Basic Pension reform that gives more to lower-income seniors and less to higher-income seniors, no improvement measures have been included," and criticized that "leaving this unaddressed means the state continues to violate seniors' basic rights."
Earlier, the government had been preparing a reform plan that would change the Basic Pension eligibility standard from a 'target receipt rate' system to an 'income-based' system, while giving more to low-income seniors.
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter