Next Year's Gwangbokhoe Budget Cut... Veterans Affairs Department Blames 'Guidelines'

Gwangbokhoe Academic Institute Faces 600 Million KRW Budget Cut One Year After Launch
Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to Decide Continuation After Budget Outcome Evaluation

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has cut the budget for the Korea Liberation Association for next year. Although the Ministry cited the "guidelines of the Ministry of Economy and Finance" as the reason, it is speculated that the conflict between the government and the Korea Liberation Association over the appointment of Kim Hyung-seok, the director of the Independence Hall, who has been embroiled in a 'New Right' controversy, influenced the decision.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs on the 29th, the budget related to the Korea Liberation Association reflected in the budget proposal to be submitted to the National Assembly on the 2nd of next month is 2.6 billion KRW, a reduction of 600 million KRW compared to this year. This is due to the complete cut of the 600 million KRW budget for the Korea Liberation Association Academic Institute. The Korea Liberation Association Academic Institute was launched in June this year with the goal of systematically establishing the history and spirit of the independence movement and nurturing future leaders.

In a clarification released the day before, the Ministry stated, "The increased budget newly allocated by the National Assembly is subject to judgment on whether to continue after the settlement and evaluation of the budget executed that year," and "(The budget for the Korea Liberation Association Academic Institute) was newly allocated this year and since the execution and settlement evaluation have not yet been completed, it was not included in the 2025 government budget proposal." The Ministry explained that the cut in the budget for the Korea Liberation Association Academic Institute was in accordance with the Ministry of Economy and Finance's budget formulation guidelines, stating, "The increased new budget allocated by the National Assembly this year is not included in the next year's government budget because the execution and settlement evaluation have not been completed according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Economy and Finance."

However, upon confirmation with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, it was found that no such budget formulation guidelines exist.

An official from the Ministry of Economy and Finance said, "Unlike new projects in the government proposal that go through a pilot project phase, there are aspects that require post-evaluation for new projects increased by the National Assembly," but added that there are no explicit related guidelines. They explained that while it is possible to cut the budget because the post-evaluation has not been completed, it is not mandatory to do so according to any guidelines.

If the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs' explanation is accurate, most of the new budgets increased by the National Assembly would inevitably be cut in the following year. This is because it is very rare for projects to complete execution and settlement evaluation by the end of August, the deadline for settlement review under the National Assembly Act. Furthermore, if such guidelines from the Ministry of Economy and Finance actually exist, it would seriously infringe upon the National Assembly's authority to review the budget.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs clarified, "Unlike new projects in the government budget formulation process that go through prior review stages, new projects increased by the National Assembly require post-evaluation and are not reflected in the next year's budget. The mention of '(Ministry of Economy and Finance) guidelines' in explaining this 'normal process' was a misstatement."

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