<article>Presidential Office: "250,000 Won Law Has Limited Effect"... Also Violates Constitutional Principle of Separation of Powers</article>

by Seo Sojeong

Published 02 Aug.2024 16:21(KST)

Reaffirming Opposition... Opposition Party to Pass Bill Unilaterally

Park Chun-seop, Chief Economic Secretary of the Presidential Office, is giving a briefing on economic issues at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 2nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 2nd, the Presidential Office reaffirmed its opposition to the opposition party's 'Special Measures Act for the Payment of Livelihood Recovery Support Funds' (the law to provide 250,000 KRW to all citizens), stating that "the effect is not significant compared to the required funding."

A senior official from the Presidential Office said to reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration's policy is to support benefits for vulnerable groups, but the bill to provide 250,000 KRW to all citizens is a universal support measure and does not fit well," expressing this view.

According to the National Assembly Budget Office, the required funding for the law to provide 250,000 KRW to all citizens is expected to reach approximately 13 to 18 trillion KRW.

The official pointed out, "It also goes against the constitutional principle of separation of powers," adding, "The constitutional right to budget formulation belongs to the government, and forcing the executive branch to allocate budget through legislation is considered unconstitutional."

He continued, "If it passes in the National Assembly, since it falls under the jurisdiction of the Administrative and Security Committee, the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will present opinions jointly with related ministries."

Meanwhile, the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, unilaterally passed the law to provide 250,000 KRW to all citizens at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the same day.

Earlier, members of the People Power Party left immediately after the vote to end the filibuster (unlimited debate) began, and did not participate in the vote on the Livelihood Recovery Support Fund Act.