The Korean government gives out research and development grants to universities and corporations for a huge number of things that are not yet developed in Korea, but are being developed in other countries.
Corporations also get tax breaks for investment and other things. The money is used to buy equipment, materials, pay salaries and such.
This is rarely mentioned and has never been emphasized in the Korean media.
Shouldn't salaried taxpayers be given the same amount in funding and incentives? So they can buy what they want and maybe educate, train, or otherwise develop themselves.
Just seems so unfair. Rich get richer, while employees pay taxes of which a portion is used to enrich corporations and the wealthy. The ones who know how to play the research grant and tax loophole game.
And the employees or salaried workers don't realize this is happening. If they do, they assume it is for development of technology. It probably has contributed to the competitiveness of Korean companies and exports.
Funding for research at universities and R&D centers is okay, but if the R&D center and its patents belong to rich corporations that makes billions in profit and price gouge consumers?
Slightly annoying. Less annoying than people who intentionally cut in front of the line, apparently. Running into those kinds of people less frequently than before. Probably due to COVID. Less crowds.
Anyways, if the Korean government can fund corporations and universities, then should it not fund poor people? It seems ENORMOUSLY unfair to give money to corporations but not to the poor.
Poor taxpayers need more relief, incentives for self education and training, and tax breaks from government. It would be good for the economy and since they are poor, the money would go for basics and should not be inflationary.
Korea's national pension system was introduced only a couple or so decades ago. Most of the elderly don't receive much of a pension, less than $500. So, former President Moon's administration quietly started many programs for the elderly.
One is a program for the elderly throughout all districts in Korea. Elderly with income under a certain level can apply to participate in a district cleaning project. If selected, they pick up trash along the road for a short while, five days a week and get paid, guessing around $300-$500 a month. It's really easy. Just basically to get them outside for an hour or two of exercise and an hour of standing around. Most of the cleaning is done by cleaning trucks early around dawn.
Some of the elderly can get jobs, but some cannot. The job program helps. I think the government's basic subsistence allowance for really poor people is $300 a month. I don't see how anyone can survive on $300 a month.
If the conservative party complained about the work program, they would lose their most loyal base - the elderly. So, the mostly conservative media has unusually refrained from attacking former President Moon on the work program.
Develop society for a change, instead of corporations. Good Political Slogan!
A party with a name to strike fear into all conservatives, Socialist Party or People's Party.
Curiously though, the Korean conservative party fraudulently calls itself the People Power Party, when it is more like a Corporate Power Party.
