More than 1 in 3 Livelihood Benefit Applications Rejected… Minimum Living Standard Criteria Remain a Hurdle
Over the past three and a half years, more than one in three applications for Basic Livelihood Security livelihood benefits (money provided by the state to guarantee a minimum standard of living) were rejected. To receive livelihood benefits, a household's income must be at or below 32% of the median income (the midpoint of all household incomes), and its assets must also fall below a certain threshold — meaning many applications failed to meet these criteria.
More than half of rejections were due to exceeding the recognized income limit. 'Exceeding the recognized income standard' was the most common reason for rejection, accounting for 233,830 cases, or 53.2% of all rejections. This share rose from 46.4% in 2021 to 59.3% in 2025 and 60.5% as of June this year. In contrast, rejections due to failing the supporter (dependent obligation) criteria fell from 1,580 cases (1.3%) in 2021 to 36 cases (0.1%) as of June this year.
From 2022 through August this year, 4,258 households were rejected in the income band above 32% and at or below 33% of the median income, and 7,011 households in the band above 33% and at or below 34%. Combined, 11,269 households were rejected in the 32–34% median income range. Rejections in this range grew every year — from 1,369 households in 2022 to 1,558 in 2023, 2,183 in 2024, and 3,352 in 2025 — with 2,807 households rejected through August this year.
Rep. Nam In-soon said, "Even when people in hardship personally ask the state for help, they are rejected by the selection criteria, and households in the income bracket just above are being pushed out of the system by a slim margin." She added, "Given continued criticism that the current 32% threshold fails to adequately reflect the realities of the poor, the standard must be raised."
Rep. Nam noted, "Raising the selection threshold to 35% is also a task set out in the '3rd Basic Livelihood Security Comprehensive Plan (2024–2026)' established in 2023," adding, "Since it is also included in the Lee Jae-myung government's 123 national policy tasks, the timing of the increase should be moved up to strengthen protections for the poor."
