National Disaster Relief Fund Going to the Mountains

Lee Jun-seok "Selective Payment Party Policy Strengthened"
Song Young-gil "Opposition Must Implement Agreed Items"
Second Supplementary Budget Bill Full Reexamination Inevitable

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Jinyoung Jeon] The ruling and opposition parties have been embroiled in confusion for two days over the issue of disaster relief payments to all citizens. Each side is presenting interpretations favorable to themselves on whether universal payments should come first or compensation for small business losses should take priority, intensifying public confusion. Regardless of the conclusion, a full review of the second supplementary budget (supplementary budget) has become inevitable.

On the 13th, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, appeared on the radio and said, "I proposed increasing the portion of 3.9 trillion won allocated for small business support, and Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party, gave positive consideration, so we have effectively reached an agreement," adding, "Selective payments are the party stance of the People Power Party, and this strengthens that." This means the ruling and opposition parties agreed to emphasize selective support for small businesses and to put universal payments as a lower priority.

However, the Democratic Party criticized this as a "reversal of position." On the same day, Song Young-gil mentioned the agreement with Lee Jun-seok on Facebook and pressured, "People Power Party lawmakers should respect and support Lee's decision." He made it clear that the universal disaster relief payment was a bipartisan agreement. Chief spokesperson Ko Yong-jin also said in a phone call that day, "The original agreement from yesterday is the authentic one. The opposition party's position afterward is a self-modification." Floor leader Yoon Ho-jung raised his voice at the party strategy meeting, saying, "They must have heard the explanation well from Leader Song, but as soon as Lee returned to the party, he betrayed the 2030 youth generation."

Presidential candidates have also joined the controversy. Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province, targeted Lee Jun-seok, saying, "If you make a promise, you must keep it, and you should not make promises you cannot keep." Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae also criticized, saying, "To overturn the universal disaster relief payment agreement in 100 minutes, is the government a joke?"

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