Thee working poor, defined as people who earn up to 20 percent more than the poverty line (W1.02 million [$850] per month for a four-member family) generally receive no protection from the social safety net; they are excluded from the various benefits the very poor receive, such as government payouts for living, housing, education and health care costs.

As of May, the number of working poor was 3.20 million, or about 7 percent of the population, while the number of poor was 1.35 million.

Some of the poor and many of the working poor are excluded from the social safety net, even though they have paltry incomes, because they own a car or live in a leased house that is larger than 20 pyung (66 square meters).

The 34-year-old mother who jumped off an apartment building with her three children on July 17 also was excluded from social welfare because her family had a used car registered under the husband's name. Such rules were amended this year but experts say that most of the working poor think they still exist.

Professor Lee Tae-soo at the Hyundo University of Social Welfare said, "The working poor could always slip into the extreme poor category depending on the economy. If these working poor are neglected the result will be higher social costs." (Sunwoo Jung, jsunwoo@chosun.com )