CANDIDATES’ PLEDGES ON VIRTUAL ASSETS

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Presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Suk-yeol both made pledges about virtual assets to woo the 20-to-30 age group with a particularly high number of undecided voters. The two candidates both promised to institutionalize virtual assets and allow more freedom in investment. They also presented their welfare pledges for the elderly and the disabled.

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Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung visited a senior citizen's center and announced his campaign pledges for the elderly. He promised a monthly payment of 100,000 won for those between 60 and 65 in order to fill a financial vacuum that occur between retirement and national pension payment.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Pres. Candidate) : "Ruling and opposition parties agree on continuously expanding welfare programs for the elderly. So calling this pledge populist is a political attack."

His pledge also includes having the national health insurance program cover up to four dental implants without deduction even if an elderly couple is both eligible for basic pension. For young voters in their 20s and 30s, Lee apologized on behalf of the DP government for banning the creation of virtual assets.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Pres. Candidate) : "I think it’s problematic that the virtual asset market couldn’t develop because the government attempted to deny its existence."

Lee vowed to make the virtual assets market flourish and protect its investors. People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol also promised to make virtual assets legal and allow their creation.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(PPP Pres. Candidate) : "I will build grounds for trust that can grant public confidence to the market so that virtual assets can be traded more actively."

However, he also pledged to put a yearly cap of 50 million won on tax-free profits from virtual assets. In contrast, Lee was still thinking about raising the tax exemption criteria. Yoon also announced his pledges for the disabled.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(PPP Pres. Candidate) : "I will introduce an individual budget system so that a disabled person can choose his own welfare services and broaden the welfare program selection to the level of advanced countries."

Low-rise buses will be made available for inter-city, expressway, and regional routes. Job training for the disabled will be enhanced to produce workers for the era of the fourth industrial revolution. On Wednesday Yoon had a private meeting with Hong Joon-pyo, his former rival in the primary race. Hong reportedly asked the candidate to take measures to demonstrate his governing capacity and proclaim to the people that he would mete out harsh punishment to his wife’s family for corruption. On Thursday Lee proposed pledges regarding cultural contents while Yoon presented his ideas about digital finance.