금융은 시혜가 아닌 권리다: ‘국민기초금융보장법’이 그리는 새로운 경제 안전망 > 뉴스

The ‘National Basic Financial Guarantee Act’ recently announced by Kim Eun-kyung, Chairman of the Credit Recovery Committee, contains fundamental structural improvements for the financially underprivileged. The core of this bill is to create a system that is guaranteed by the state by codifying the five basic financial rights: the right to financial access, the right to survive, the right to rebuild, the right to self-reliance, and the right to create assets. Specifically, the plan is to establish a four-stage support system starting with basic counseling and debt adjustment, followed by basic insurance, basic loans, and basic savings. This goes beyond simply providing financial support and aims to comprehensively diagnose the borrower's economic situation and link employment and welfare to help them achieve fundamental independence. In particular, as a result of confirming the suffering suffered by users of illegal private finance prevention loans in the field, the basis of the bill is that what they need is not unconditional loans, but actual debt consolidation.

The most unconventional change in the bill is the discussion of the introduction of ‘debt adjustment transfer principle’. This is a plan to make it mandatory to first go through debt adjustment by the Credit Recovery Committee before going through court rehabilitation and bankruptcy procedures, which is evaluated as efficient in terms of cost and time. This is because court procedures cost millions of won and take a long time, but private mediation by the NHRCK allows for quick recovery at low cost. Of course, some are raising concerns about restrictions on the right to request a trial, but the NHRCK proposed an alternative to increase the effectiveness of mediation by establishing a ‘consensus system’ where creditors and debtors can reach an agreement. This change is evaluated as a more flexible social agreement model that helps debtors recover through cooperation between the private and public sectors before the extreme option of bankruptcy.

In parallel with institutional legislative efforts, examples of inclusive finance practices across the financial sector are also noteworthy. NH Nonghyup Bank is the first in the financial industry to launch the ‘NH Credit Recovery Partner Loan,’ a customized credit loan for those who are faithfully completing the credit recovery process, opening the way for practical financial support. This is a product that utilizes the bank's own financial resources rather than collateral for a guarantee, and is a timely measure to help those with low credit settle in the financial market. In addition, KB Financial Group worked with the National Police Agency and the Credit Recovery Committee to establish a psychological counseling and credit recovery support system for victims of financial fraud such as voice phishing. This is an example of an integrated approach that pursues economic and psychological recovery simultaneously, noting that financial crimes leave psychological aftereffects beyond simple financial losses.

The Credit Recovery Committee's efforts are not limited to the domestic market but are expanding to the global stage. We are expanding our base for international cooperation by interacting with advanced overseas organizations such as the UK and Vietnam, sharing the ‘K-Debt Adjustment’ model, and benchmarking the UK’s data-based vulnerable group identification system and mental health support programs. This reflects the demands of the times that debt restructuring should not simply be a process of debt forgiveness, but should evolve into a social safety net that combines employment, welfare, and psychological counseling. This integrated support system shows that our country's financial policy is moving beyond the level of benefits and is leaping toward an advanced country-type system that encompasses universal welfare and economic independence. Ultimately, supporting the financially vulnerable is the surest way to reduce risks in our society and promote sustainable growth.