The first year of this year is rising at Haeundae Beach in Haeundae-gu, Busan, on the morning of the first day of the new year. Reporter Song Bong-geun.
There are things that change from the New Year 2021. First of all, the minimum wage based on the hourly wage is raised to 8,720 won. As the law amendment was broken last year, abortion surgery, so-called’abortion’, is not subject to punishment from this year. In the new year, free education is held until high school. We looked at the socio-economic institutions and policies that change while being closely connected with life.
Minimum wage 8720 won… Lowest rate of increase ever
A convenience store in downtown Seoul last month. News 1
This year’s minimum wage is 8,720 won, up 130 won from last year. This is the lowest rate of increase (1.5%) since the introduction of the minimum wage system in 1988. Excluding this year, the lowest wage increase was in 1999 (1525 won, 2.7%), just after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial crisis. Based on the changed minimum wage, if you work 40 hours a week, your monthly salary, including weekly vacation pay, is about 1.82 million won.
Among the young people looking for part-time jobs, a self-help voice comes out. This is because the number of part-time jobs has decreased due to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), and the existing jobs may disappear due to a minimum wage increase. A 21-year-old college student said, “It’s fortunate that the minimum wage has risen even a little in a bad economy, but the increase of 130 won is not motivating.” “I am afraid that employers will rather not choose because the minimum wage has risen. It’s scary,” he said.
‘Abortion crime’ disappears after 68 years
On the 31st of last month, at a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center, Rep. Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party (second left) and Standing Representative Shin Ji-hye (second right) are holding a press conference to welcome the expiration of the’abortion crime’. Reporter Oh Jong-taek
The abortion crime, enacted in 1953, will be abolished after 68 years. This is because in April 2019, the Constitutional Court ruled inconsistent with the criminal abortion provisions (part of Article 269 (1) and Article 270 (1)), but the National Assembly failed to come up with an amendment for one year and nine months. In October, the government proposed an amendment to allow abortions within 14 weeks of pregnancy while maintaining abortion, but it is still pending in the National Assembly.
On the 30th, in the National Assembly, women and medical experts gathered to discuss tasks in preparation for the’decriminalization of the suspension of pregnancy’. The crime of abortion disappeared beyond the legislative deadline, but it is necessary to prepare support measures for a safe termination of pregnancy. Experts agreed that it is important to have a system for providing correct information on the termination of pregnancy. This is because the majority of women get inaccurate information about pregnancy termination through Internet communities and social network services (SNS).
Park, 23, who wrote his experience of stopping pregnancy in a community, said he received several questions in secret comments. Mr. Park said, “Reminiscent of my experience of being embarrassed because I couldn’t get the right information, I wanted to give even a little help to my friends of my age who were considering abortion. If you give it, people will be less confused.” There were over a hundred secret comments on this article.
Free education for high school first degree following high school 2-3
In front of the Jeollabuk-do Office of Education in Jeonju, Jeonju, Jeonbuk on August 4 of last year, officials from the Progressive Party and Jeonbuk Province are demanding the return of tuition fees for first-year high schools and early implementation of free education. News 1
Free education, which was applied only to the second and third grades of high school, will be expanded to all grade levels from 2021. A total of 1.24 million people receive free education. According to the Ministry of Education, the annual tuition burden of 1.6 million won per student, such as admission fee, tuition fee, school operation support fee, and textbook fee, will be reduced. Munmo (46), a parent who has a daughter who is entering high school this year, said, “It will reduce the burden on the household by reducing tuition costs by about 1.6 million won, but in the long run, I hope that the country can come up with a plan to reduce private education costs.” Said. However, some special purpose high schools such as autonomous private high schools and foreign language high schools are excluded from the free high school education benefits.
Reporter Choi Yeon-soo [email protected]