I have a dream

Korea’s presidential policy chief proposed a “public dividend” system to share record-high profits earned by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix with all Koreans, thereby igniting a hot controversy. The proposal, posted by Kim Yong-beom on May 11 on his social media account, comes as pressure mounts against chipmakers over whether their soaring profits should be redistributed as employee compensation, reinvested in the company or returned to shareholders. He wrote, “All of their gains are built on an industrial foundation that has been built over decades by the entire population. Part of those gains should therefore be structurally returned to all Koreans.” [PARK YONG-SEOK]