Is a minimum income a UBI?

No. A means-tested, household or conditional minimum is not strict universal basic income.

COUNTRY FILE

South Korea

KORActive pilot

National statusNo strict national UBI

It does not simultaneously meet universality, individuality, unconditionality, periodicity, cash and lasting national scale.

Related activityActive pilot

Gyeonggi Youth Basic Income; National basic-income debate (elections)

CheckedAugust 26, 2026

No material legislative change is listed after the source scan.

South Korea has no strict national UBI (universal + individual + unconditional + periodic + cash + lasting). Pilots/experiments: Gyeonggi Youth Basic Income.

Follow changes in South Korea Compare

PILOTS AND CASH STUDIES

Pilots and cash studies

Pilot

Gyeonggi Youth Basic Income

Regional Pre-UBI. Not a South Korean national UBI.

PROPOSALS

Proposals

Proposal

National basic-income debate (elections)

Recurring political debate. Closest operating scheme is Gyeonggi youth dividend (regional Pre-UBI).

CRITERIA

Six criteria, per programme

Flags from different programmes are not added together to imply a national UBI.

Proposal

National basic-income debate (elections)

UniversalNo

IndividualNo

UnconditionalNo

PeriodicYes

CashYes

Lasting nationalYes

SOURCES

Where this file comes from

Official source · 2026-08-26World Bank — World Development Indicators
Institution or operator · 2026-08-26Gyeonggi-do — Youth Basic Income
Institution or operator · 2026-08-26National Assembly of Korea — Legislative record

TOOLS

Run a scenario in South Korea

Household calculator National cost AI dividend