Recently in the United States, a partial government shutdown meant millions of low-income families missed their food assistance payments. The disruption reignited an old question that every developed nation grapples with: How much should societies help their poorest members, and in what form?

This question matters everywhere, including in Korea, where debates about welfare expansion, working-age poverty, and the sustainability of social programs have intensified in recent years.

Over the past four decades, thinking about poverty relief has shifted dramatically across the developed world. The traditional model was one of support for those without work. Historically, poverty alleviation programs started by targeting groups that were not expected to work, such as widows or people with disabilities. Over time, however, a new model has taken hold. One that targets assistance to low-wage workers, especially those with children. The idea was to encourage employment rather than replace it. This signaled a shift from traditional "welfare" to "workfare." Today, across most wealthy nations, public assistance flows more readily to the "working poor" than to those outside the labor force entirely.

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