For the first time in 15 years,... government's financial assistance for low-income households surpassed households' earned income... amid the country's worsening job situation. <br />Won Jung-hwan reports. <br /> Financial assistance surpassed average earned income for the lowest 20 percent of household incomes in the first quarter of 2018. <br /><br />According to data from Statistics Korea on Tuesday,… financial assistance from the government for low-income households, those whose income was in the lowest 20 percent of earners,... increased by over 21-percent compared to the previous year. Low-income households earned 440 U.S. dollars a month on average, but received an average of 550 US dollars in financial assistance. <br /><br /> This is the first time since 2003 that financial assistance for low-income households is higher than those households' earned income. This financial assistance includes government pensions and unemployment benefits.<br /><br />The government has been implementing policies to raise the income base of low-income earners by providing housing support for young and newly married couples and raising the maximum level of income for people to be eligible for tax credit. <br /><br /> But while the government has been expanding support for low-income groups,… an analysis shows that low-income households saw their earned income drop by over 13-percent on-year due to the downturn in the labor market. <br /><br /> Some experts worry that if the gap between earned income and financial assistance for low-income households widens, it could lead to further economic problems.<br /><br />Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News. <br />
