SUWON — Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae reiterated that South Korea's local tax system needs to be overhauled to secure stable funding for elderly welfare. With demand for care and welfare services rising rapidly as the population ages, she said a revenue structure centered on acquisition taxes from property transactions cannot sustain long-term welfare policy.
Choo made the remarks on the 1st at the 30th Senior Citizens Day ceremony held at Noblesse Wedding Convention in Suwon, saying the provincial government would provide more comprehensive support "so that our elders can spend their later years with dignity and confidence."
About 350 people attended, including Choo, Gyeonggi Provincial Council Vice Chairperson Kim Mi-suk, Korea Senior Citizens Association Gyeonggi Branch President Lim Heon-woo and heads of municipal chapters.
In her commemorative address, Choo said, "When our elders fall ill, the state and society must protect their dignity," adding that the province would ensure "they are not lonely and that their social connections are not severed." She also pledged to "carry out integrated care without setbacks to build a Gyeonggi Province where people can feel secure even when they are ill."
Choo also highlighted the importance of integrated care. "Integrated care is a system that goes beyond treatment to guide people through welfare programs and daily living support," she said. "I saw firsthand an elderly patient who had been discharged from the hospital receiving home visits from a doctor and health management services at home."
Choo stressed in particular that local finances must be restructured to sustain elderly welfare. "Gyeonggi Province's total budget is about 42 trillion won, and more than 5 trillion won of that goes to welfare for our elders," she said. "Demand for care and welfare will only grow from here."
"But Gyeonggi Province's tax revenue currently depends heavily on acquisition taxes from property transactions," she said. "There are limits to expanding welfare steadily under a structure where funding fluctuates with the transaction cycle."
"To take responsibility for the lives of 14 million residents and to meet growing welfare demand, the outdated local tax system must be reformed," Choo said. "The fiscal foundation must be strengthened so that local governments can carry out welfare policy in line with needs on the ground."
At the ceremony, two residents who turned 100 this year were presented with cheongryeojang, a longevity cane made from goosefoot stems, as a wish for health and long life. The tradition originates from the custom of bestowing canes on elders who had lived to an advanced age.
Commendations from the governor, the provincial council chairperson and the president of the Korea Senior Citizens Association's Gyeonggi branch were also awarded to 14 people, including those who contributed to improving elderly welfare and developing their communities and elders recognized as role models.
