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Kim Yong-beom, Chief of Policy Office. (Photo = Yonhap News Agency) |
[Alpha Biz= Ellie Kim] South Korea’s presidential office and government have begun formal discussions on how to utilize potential windfall tax revenues expected from a semiconductor industry boom, as debate grows over proposals such as a “citizen dividend.”
According to government sources, Kim Yong-beom, Chief of the Presidential Policy Office, recently instructed aides including fiscal planning secretary Ryu Deok-hyun to review options for allocating excess tax revenues. Ha Joon-kyung, senior presidential secretary for economic growth, is also known to be participating in the discussions.
Economic policymakers believe the semiconductor supercycle could extend at least through 2027, underscoring the need for a more structural and forward-looking approach to managing surplus revenues.
Earlier in the day, Lee Jae-myung addressed the issue via social media platform X, clarifying that Kim’s remarks referred to reviewing ways to distribute excess tax revenues generated from extraordinary profits in sectors such as artificial intelligence. Lee criticized what he described as “distorted reporting,” noting that some media outlets had mischaracterized the proposal as a plan to redistribute corporate profits directly to citizens.
The government is also conducting internal reviews in line with the presidential office’s direction. A finance ministry official stated that determining how to use windfall revenues to create a virtuous economic cycle is a critical issue requiring careful policy design.
Kim’s previous experience during the COVID-19 pandemic has also influenced the current discussions. While serving as vice finance minister in 2020–2021, he oversaw a period in which more than KRW 100 trillion in excess tax revenue was generated amid a semiconductor boom.
In a recent social media post, Kim emphasized that surplus revenues during the 2021–2022 boom were spent without a clear long-term framework. He warned that the scale of the current cycle could be significantly larger and that failing to establish a strategic allocation plan could mean missing a “once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
The government plans to incorporate specific policy measures into its economic growth strategy for the second half of the year, to be announced next month, as well as into next year’s budget proposal expected in late August.
Calls for broader public debate are also emerging from progressive political groups and academia. Progressive Party spokesperson Sohn Sol said the idea of a citizen dividend is “worthy of serious discussion,” describing the semiconductor boom as a collective outcome supported by public infrastructure, education, and labor.
Similarly, Rebuilding Korea Party deputy spokesperson Lee Jong-pil urged policymakers to engage in constructive debate. Chung Heung-jun, a professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, suggested that surplus revenues could be used for socially necessary investments, including youth employment and future-oriented initiatives.
However, opposition from the People Power Party has been strong. Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk criticized the proposal as “reminiscent of communist thinking,” while floor leader Song Eon-seok argued that such an approach could undermine both the semiconductor industry and capital markets.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea pushed back against the criticism, with Supreme Council member Hwang Myung-sun stating that the proposal concerns fiscal policy direction rather than forced redistribution of corporate profits. Still, party leaders appear cautious about the potential political impact ahead of the upcoming June 3 local elections.
Alphabiz Ellie Kim 인턴기자(press@alphabiz.co.kr)
