Lee Has a Mandate to Tackle Inequality. Will He Betray It?

South Korean society's inequality has returned to levels not seen since the Japanese colonial era, according to a recent report that highlights the stark income disparity.

A report published in late 2025 by the World Inequality Lab, co-founded by economist Thomas Piketty, revealed that in 2022, the top 1% of Korean earners held a share of income similar to that during the late Japanese colonial period. This finding underscores a significant and persistent issue of wealth concentration.

Sociologist Cho Don-moon, in his books "The Ideology of Inequality" and "The Equal Society Project," argues that Korean society is trapped in a cycle of inequality because its members have accepted this disparity as the ruling order. He contends that escaping this situation requires a strategic approach. To counter widespread skepticism about the possibility of achieving a more equitable society, Cho advocates for "non-reformist reforms." This strategy involves implementing a series of modest reforms that progressively raise the stakes while simultaneously building public trust.

Cho's analysis, detailed in his recent works, indicates that while Koreans perceive inequality as severe, they doubt the feasibility of creating an equal society. This skepticism is compounded by contradictory attitudes, such as acknowledging the need for government intervention to reduce inequality but opposing tax increases necessary for welfare programs.

In contrast to the challenges faced in South Korea, the article points to Sweden as a model for a welfare society characterized by gender equality and economic abundance. The International Trade Union Confederation's 2025 Global Rights Index rated Sweden highly for its protected labor rights, while the United States, often benchmarked by Korean capitalists, received a low rating, indicating jeopardized labor rights. This comparison suggests an alternative path for Korea, moving away from the high-inequality model seen in the US towards a more equitable and rights-focused society like Sweden's.

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An unequal regime is intolerable.