Kwon Sungdong: "Supplementary Budget Only If Needed After Q1... Opposition Should Apologize for Budget Cuts First"

Kwon Sungdong: "No Need for a Supplementary Budget for Local Currency Gift Certificates"

Kwon Sungdong, floor leader of the People Power Party, dismissed the possibility of reaching an agreement on a supplementary budget (extra budget) within the first quarter of this year on January 23. He argued that the opposition's call for a supplementary budget is unreasonable, given that the 2025 budget has not even been executed yet.

Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly that morning, Kwon stated, "We will comprehensively review and assess the effectiveness of early budget execution in the first quarter, and whether additional budget injections are necessary to boost economic growth. We will determine which areas of spending would most contribute to GDP growth, and if needed, we will consider a supplementary budget."

Kwon explained that if 75% of the annual budget is executed by the first half of the year, and 40% in the first quarter, it could revitalize the sluggish economy, making an immediate supplementary budget unnecessary.

Regarding Democratic Party leader Lee Jaemyung's remarks at a press conference the same day-where Lee criticized the People Power Party for opposing a supplementary budget and urged the government to "wake up"-Kwon countered, "Who is responsible for causing this situation? It is the Democratic Party and its leader, Lee Jaemyung." He added, "Before demanding a supplementary budget, they should first apologize for unilaterally cutting the budget."

Kwon further emphasized, "If a supplementary budget is truly necessary, it should be structured to help vulnerable and marginalized groups in society," and criticized, "A supplementary budget for the introduction of local currency gift certificates, as the Democratic Party claims, is not needed."

Kwon Sungdong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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