Repeated Disruptions in Gijang County Council... 17.4 Billion KRW for 2nd Disaster Basic Income Difficult to Distribute Within the Year

Busan Gijang-gun, Gijang-gun Council in Turmoil as Temporary Session Suspended, Causing 'Foot-Stomping' Frustration

Busan Gijang County Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The Busan Gijang County Council is holding back the 17.4 billion KRW disaster basic income.

The second installment of the Gijang-type disaster basic income, which Gijang County had planned to provide to all residents, has become uncertain due to the 'deadlock' in the Gijang County Council.

Gijang County originally planned to provide the second disaster relief fund in cash, 100,000 KRW per person, to approximately 173,000 residents by the end of this year.

On the 6th, the 1st plenary session of the 253rd Gijang County Council extraordinary meeting was convened, but the operation of the extraordinary meeting was suspended due to a lack of quorum. This is the second time following the suspension of the 252nd extraordinary meeting on the 15th of last month.

The Gijang County Council confirmed the agenda for the 253rd extraordinary meeting on November 2 and planned to hold the extraordinary meeting for 20 days from November 6 to 16.

This extraordinary meeting was scheduled to address eight current issues, including the amendment of the Gijang-type disaster basic income ordinance for the second payment, the 17.4 billion KRW second Gijang-type disaster basic income support fund to be paid to residents, and the 4th supplementary budget proposal, as well as 15 agenda items that were not processed due to the suspension of the previous extraordinary meeting.

However, after the extraordinary meeting began, internal conflicts within the Gijang County Council regarding the chairing of the meeting led to the suspension of the meeting’s operation, causing significant setbacks. Currently, the Gijang County Council plans to reconvene the plenary session on the 9th.

Gijang County emphasizes that the second disaster basic income must be promptly paid to residents as an urgent matter. If the agenda is not passed in this extraordinary meeting, it will be resubmitted and pursued at the regular meeting in early December. However, even if the agenda is approved at the regular meeting, actual payments will only be possible after January next year.

Oh Gyu-seok, the mayor of Gijang County, said, “In this comprehensive national disaster situation caused by COVID-19, we have saved and mobilized every budget to prepare the budget for the second Gijang-type disaster basic income to help local residents struggling with their livelihoods.”

Mayor Oh added, “Every minute and second is urgent, but unfortunately, the Gijang County Council’s operation has been suspended again, forcing a delay in payments. Above all, I hope the Gijang County Council will consider the residents’ position first and promptly approve the budget and ordinance.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.