Yoo Seong-min questions North Jeolla Province's plan to pay stipends to Donghak Peasant Revolution descendants

Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seong-min has questioned whether North Jeolla Province — which ranks last in the nation in fiscal self-reliance — should pay annual stipends of 1.2 million won ($869) to descendants of Donghak Peasant Revolution participants, asking "Is it really right to spend taxpayer money this way?"

Yoo posted a message on Facebook on Tuesday criticizing the plan. "Is it really appropriate to reach back 132 years to a historical event that took place in the late Joseon period in 1894, track down the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those involved, and pay them a family stipend out of taxpayer money?" he wrote.

He also asked how the province would respond to criticism that it should then also pay descendants of the righteous armies who fought in the Imjin War.

Yoo said North Jeolla Province's fiscal self-reliance rate stands at 23.32 percent this year, the lowest in the country, and that Jeonju has been unable to pay 4 billion won in bonuses owed to its 2,300 civil servants due to financial difficulties.

He added that North Jeolla Province pays Korean War veterans a monthly combat allowance of just 40,000 won — also the lowest in the nation — and criticized the disparity. "A province that pays 40,000 won a month to veterans who defended the Republic of Korea is now going to pay 100,000 won a month to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the Donghak Peasant Revolution from 132 years ago. Is it really right to spend taxpayer money this way?" he said.

"Any North Jeolla resident with common sense should be outraged," he added.

North Jeolla Province announced Tuesday that it would provide annual stipends of 1.2 million won per person to 723 registered descendants of Donghak Peasant Revolution participants.

The payments follow the enactment of a provincial ordinance on support for Donghak Peasant Revolution commemorative projects. The total project budget for this year is 868 million won, split between the province and its cities and counties at a 3-to-7 ratio.

The scope of the program has grown as discussions progressed. The original budget passed in December last year covered 549 beneficiaries, but a supplementary budget last month expanded that number to 723. The per-person annual stipend was also doubled from the initial 600,000 won.

Eligible recipients are children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren officially recognized and registered as bereaved family members under the Special Act on the Restoration of Honor for Donghak Peasant Revolution Participants.

The beneficiaries reside mainly in Jeonju, Jeongeup, Imsil, Iksan and Buan.