Not yet.
I told rich Korean acquaintances that I sometimes donate small amounts to charity in the hope that they would also. Most called me crazy. They tell me it's their fault that they are poor. I ask if it doesn't bother them that people are starving and in need. Most reply, "Not at all".
CNN: Warren Buffett just gave $3.4 billion to charity
Fox: Chicago could soon test universal basic income program
But Korea does have a couple of good leaders in government. Seoul Mayor Won-soon Park and President Moon.
Seoul has a program where they pay young unemployed several hundred dollars for a few months while they seek work. The Korean government just announced a program to pay about 500 dollars a month for six months for people with low income jobs.
Korean has a serious unemployment problem. In France and other countries, the young unemployed held huge demonstrations. I guess young Korean unemployed are more depressed than angry. The unemployment rate among young people must be 20-30%, maybe even more.
The amount of money that the Korean government, like many other governments, spends much more on business in the form of tax cuts, grants for research and development, and other subsidies than spending on the poor. Even business that are strong like Samsung, Korean Airlines and LG receive assistance from the government in many ways. Traditional Korean media almost never informs the public about this. They usually only concentrate on criticizing pro-labor, pro-low class policies as socialist that make it hard for businesses to survive.
The Korean government is trying to make it possible to import CBD oil for medicinal purposes, in response to demands from desperate mothers.
