section_path: Political positions/Economic and social policy/Universal basic income
section_name: Universal basic income
paragraph_text: Universal basic income
  
  One of Lee's signature 2022 presidential campaign pledges was a promise to implement universal basic income. Lee implemented various basic income programs for residents during his time as mayor and governor.
  
  During the 2022 campaign, Lee promised to introduce basic income to young people, farmers and fishermen first. Later, the program would expand to include all citizens, and the basic income amounts would increase. As part of this plan, Lee sought to link the basic income to a carbon tax and land value tax.
  
  Lee pledged to introduce a universal basic income scheme at the national level for the first time in the world. He pledged to distribute 1,000,000 South Korean won (about US$ 900) per year to every citizen and ₩2,000,000 (about US$1,800) per year to youth aged between 19 and 29. Additional basic income would be considered for farmers, children, the elderly, and disabled people. Although the basic income program would start at a modest level, Lee indicated that the long-term goal is to increase basic income to ₩6,000,000 (about US$5,400) per year. Lee proposed the basic income plan would be financed by land value tax and carbon tax. Lee stressed that these taxes were necessary to curb real estate speculation and reduce carbon emissions.