[앵커]
It was confirmed that Jo Doo-soon, a child sex offender, has been receiving welfare benefits of 1.2 million won each month with his wife since last month. The city of Ansan said it had no choice but to give it because it had the conditions. However, there was a petition from the Blue House asking if the tax should be spent for the retirement of the violent criminal, asking to stop the payment, and so far more than 80,000 people have agreed.
This is reporter Dohoon Kim.
[기자]
This is an article posted on the Blue House National Petition bulletin board last month.
It is a content that does not provide basic living security benefits to Jo Doo-soon, a child sex offender.
The author wrote, “Is it necessary to pay for living expenses after retirement with national taxes to a violent criminal who has not paid a penny for 12 years?”
I appealed to stop the payment of welfare benefits.
So far, more than 65,000 people have agreed.
On December 17 last year, five days after being released from the prison, Jo Doo-soon visited the Administrative Welfare Center and applied for basic pension and living benefits.
The basic pension is provided to seniors aged 65 or older who have difficulty living.
The livelihood benefit is for families who have difficulty maintaining a living because they do not have any income.
Gyeonggi Ansan City held a review last month and decided to pay.
In the name of the Cho Doo-soon couple, I saw that they had no housing and they had little work ability.
Since last month, Doo-soon Cho has been receiving 1.2 million won each including basic pension, living allowance, and housing allowance.
Citizens’ reactions are mixed.
[강정숙/서울 은평구 : 저는 반대죠. (국민 세금으로) 그렇게 할 수가 없다고 생각해요. (급여도 주지 말고?) 네네.]
[석승훈/서울 동대문구 : 개인적으로는 화나고 분노를 살 일이지만, 국가의 공익적 입장을 생각했을 때는 어쩔 수 없는 일이 아닌가 싶어서 복잡하네요.]
Ansan city official explained, “We also know public opinion not to give Jo Doo-soon welfare benefits.”
However, he explained that under the current law, “There is no way not to give it to a person who is eligible for payment.”