South Korea's welfare budget is expected to top 30 percent of the total budget for the first time.
 
According to the budget proposal for next year released on Thursday, the government has allocated 115-point-five trillion won to health, welfare and employment. The amount is 30-point-seven percent of the total envisioned budget of 376 trillion won.
 
The budget for health, welfare and employment was 106-point-four trillion won last year, or 29-point-nine percent of the total budget of 355-point-eight trillion won.
 
The welfare budget has seen a steep increase, as the government has steadily expanded its obligatory spending. Since 2007, the welfare budget has grown 88-point-one percent from 61-point-four trillion won. During the same period, total spending has increased 58-point-five percent from 237-point-one trillion won.
 
Next year's increase in welfare payments is due to a rise in funding for the senior pension, national pension, national medical insurance, employment insurance and industrial accident compensation insurance.
 
Funds for the basic pension for the elderly were set at seven-point-six trillion won, up two-point-four trillion won from this year. In an attempt to stabilize employment for non-regular workers, the government plans to fund up to 600-thousand won a month for workers in temporary positions to turn them into full-time workers. For people who receive unemployment benefits, the government will also pay up to 75 percent of their national pension during their unemployment for up to a year.
 
The government plans to increase its welfare budget by six-point-seven percent annually until 2018.