Gyeonggi's Supplementary Budget Stalled: Assembly Demands 40 Billion Won vs. Executive Branch Sticks to 8.9 Billion Won

▲ Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Provincial Assembly

As the processing of Gyeonggi Province's supplementary budget bill drags on, the two major negotiating groups of the provincial assembly have held consecutive on-site policy meetings to resolve to safeguard livelihood budgets and proposed additional increases for childcare support project funds to Gyeonggi Province.

With Gyeonggi Province maintaining its position that no increases are possible other than for four projects, including postpartum care subsidies, negotiations on the supplementary budget are expected to continue through the Hangeul Day holiday.

According to the provincial assembly on the 8th, the Democratic Party of Korea held an on-site policy meeting at BloomVista in Yangpyeong on October 6-7 and resolved to restore livelihood budgets.

Ahn Gwang-ryul, floor leader of the Democratic Party, stated, "The provincial assembly's demand for the supplementary budget is not an increase, but a restoration of budgets essential for people's livelihoods," adding, "We will work together with our fellow assembly members until the very end to restore the livelihood budgets."

The People Power Party also visited northern Gyeonggi regions such as Uijeongbu and Pocheon for on-site policy meetings on October 6-7, continuing its criticism over the deep cuts made to livelihood budgets.

Bang Seong-hwan, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "All assembly members will maximize their respective expertise to secure practical budgets and propose policies, thereby making tangible changes felt in the lives of provincial residents."

Meanwhile, the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts subcommittee of the provincial assembly proposed to Gyeonggi Province on the 7th an additional increase of 2.7 billion won for childcare support project funds.

This covers three months worth of project funds from October to December related to four projects: support for the operation of daycare centers, support for the infant standard childcare curriculum program, and improvement of working conditions for childcare teachers.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Daycare Center Association held a protest in front of the provincial office for the second day, demanding the restoration of the relevant budget.

It is reported that the livelihood projects for which the provincial assembly is demanding increases, including childcare support project funds, number around 50, totaling approximately 40 billion won in overall budget.

However, Gyeonggi Province maintains the stance that restoration is difficult except for four projects totaling 8.9 billion won: postpartum care support (3.6 billion won), supply of healthy fruit for children (1.5 billion won), mobility support for vulnerable transportation groups (2.3 billion won), and improvement of working conditions for corporate taxi workers (1.4 billion won).

Jeon Yeo-young, chief senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party in the provincial assembly, stated, "As differences with the provincial executive branch have not narrowed, negotiations on the supplementary budget will also proceed during the Hangeul Day holiday (October 9-11)," adding, "Processing it before the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee audit of Gyeonggi Province, scheduled for October 13, also appears difficult."

To overcome the fiscal crisis, Gyeonggi Province formulated a second supplementary budget bill amounting to 42.242 trillion won, reflecting 546.5 billion won in expenditure restructuring, and submitted it to the extraordinary session of the provincial assembly last month (September 1-18).

However, failure to process it within the session occurred due to disagreements with the provincial assembly, and although the provincial assembly has since submitted multiple revised bills, a compromise has yet to be found.

(Photo provided by Gyeonggi Province, Yonhap News)

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