Seoul City is to take legal action late this week against the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s decision to ban its program to support unemployed and underemployed young people with monthly cash support, the city government said Sunday.

Also, the metropolitan government is set to establish countermeasures, such as nonmonetary support plans, in case the court dismisses the petition.

“Seoul City will file for a provisional injunction, asking that the government‘s cancellation (of the program) be suspended,” said an official.

“The complaint will be filed as early as this Friday, and we expect the Supreme Court to make fast judgments, given the weight of the issue.”

The ministry had issued a ban last Thursday on the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s controversial program aimed at financially helping young job seekers.

The program provides some 3,000 selected young people, who have lived in Seoul for more than a year and work less than 30 hours a week among those aged between 19 and 29, with 500,000 won ($450) per month for up to six months.

But the ministry ordered the municipality to take back the money distributed to 2,831 applicants, maintaining the municipal government failed to seek “agreement” from the ministry and thus violated legal guidelines on policy setting.

The ministry has long opposed the program, saying it does not constitute a “fundamental solution” to youth unemployment. The ministry said that such a measure creates “moral hazards” among the youth by making them dependent on free cash.

Seoul City, on the other hand, argued it has “discussed” the youth support program with the ministry for the past six months, which gives ample legal ground for the municipality to push the policy. The municipality said it does not need to seek “approval” or “permission” from the central government according to law.

An association of Seoul district chiefs also condemned the welfare ministry for “violating local autonomy” stipulated in the Constitution in a press release on Sunday, further calling for the withdrawal of its decision. 

The young generation, too, voiced opposition over the ministry’s decision, which they saw as a gesture of “distrust.”

“Young people need social trust and public support in order to endure hardships and make a leap forward,” said youth rights organization Min Snail Union.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)