[Metro24] What the Gyeonggi-do Budget Approval Left Behind

The Gyeonggi Province budget for next year (33.8104 trillion KRW) was passed on the 17th, one day past the 'legal deadline.' This marks the first 'late passage' in five years since 2017. The budget review was postponed seven times, experiencing many twists and turns. There was even concern about a potential 'quasi-budget' crisis. In the final moments, a 'magical compromise' shone through.

However, observing this budget approval, voices of concern about the next four years have emerged. This is due to the equal number of ruling and opposition party members in the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly. Currently, the Assembly is evenly split with 78 seats each for the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea. Since the Assembly's inauguration in July, the two parties have clashed over issues one by one.

The conflict between the two parties due to the equal number of members seems likely to become a 'constant.' There are no 'variables' such as artificial political realignment or loss of seats due to election law violations. If the conflict between the two parties escalates, the damage will inevitably be borne by the 13.9 million residents of Gyeonggi Province.

Even the delayed handling of the emergency budget for disaster relief following the heavy rains in August illustrates this. At that time, the budget preparation for disaster support was a race against time, but the ruling and opposition parties continued a 'chicken game' without any concessions. This extreme confrontation, where 'losing means the end,' plunged the residents already devastated by the flood damage into another pit of despair. Eventually, the two parties stepped back, and the emergency budget was 'safely' prepared.

This budget approval, despite its delayed passage, also left a result of 'co-governance.' Especially when looking at the budget, most of the key projects of Governor Kim Dong-yeon, who is from the opposition party, were included. This would have been impossible without the cooperation of the ruling People Power Party.

It is also analyzed that the 'ruling-opposition-government consultative body' formed a month ago between the province and the Assembly played a role. The consultative body was launched reflecting Governor Kim Dong-yeon's will to narrow the gap between the province and the Assembly, and between the ruling and opposition parties.

The New Year of 2023, the Year of the Black Rabbit, is just over ten days away. Next year, it is hoped that politics of compromise and coexistence, like the 'clever rabbit,' will blossom in Gyeonggi Province. That is why the 13.9 million residents of Gyeonggi Province have evenly divided the 78 seats between the two parties.

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