Lee Jae-myung "Considering Second Disaster Relief Payment Through Local Bond Issuance"

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, mentioned the payment of the second disaster basic income through local bond issuance.

On the 14th, at an online emergency press conference held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office, Governor Lee stated, "COVID-19 is spreading and intensifying," and added, "I believe that disaster income support in the form of local currency for all citizens will be more necessary going forward."

He also said, "The disaster basic income has already proven effective as an economic policy," and added, "We have actively proposed this to the government, but if it is difficult at the government level, we will carefully review countermeasures at the provincial level."

However, Governor Lee emphasized, "If the province provides additional emergency disaster income, the problem is the lack of funds, so after fully collecting opinions from Gyeonggi residents and consulting with the Gyeonggi Provincial Council, if it is deemed urgent, we will support it even by issuing local bonds. But nothing has been decided yet."

He also stressed that the number of infected U.S. military personnel stationed in the province is increasing exponentially and pledged to actively work to reduce the risk.

He explained, "Gyeonggi Province ranks around 6th nationwide with 12 to 13 infections per 100,000 people, but the number of U.S. military personnel stationed in the province is only tens of thousands, yet infections have exceeded 100, making them a high-risk group. Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province has already stated that it would be better not to conduct the joint U.S.-South Korea training, even if it is training inside a bunker, and a consultative body has been formed with a working group conducting discussions."

Governor Lee further promised, "We will actively work to reduce the risk by operating the consultative body regarding the COVID-19 situation within the U.S. military."