[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kim Hye-min] While the government is taking a stance to postpone discussions on the payment of the second disaster relief fund due to the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the political sphere is heating up. The opposition party is advocating for selective payment of the second disaster relief fund, while opinions within the ruling party are divided between selective payment and 100% payment.
Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, emphasized the necessity of selective payment in an interview with reporters after holding a senior members' meeting at the National Assembly on the 26th, saying, "It is not right to provide disaster relief funds to the entire population when the government is already spending a lot of finances." Regarding the public opinion polls on disaster relief funds showing a majority favoring 'payment to all citizens,' he said, "Of course, if you conduct a poll, many want to receive it, so the numbers are high," adding, "The government must decide whether providing it to all citizens is effective in overcoming COVID-19."
Senior members of the United Future Party also urged the prompt allocation of the second disaster relief fund. Representative Seo Byung-soo said in his remarks at the senior members' meeting that "policy always has a golden time," and "Now is the time for the government to quickly prepare the 4th supplementary budget (supplementary budget) to implement various policies such as the second disaster relief fund for the working class and those in difficulty, and submit it to the National Assembly."
Earlier, among the first-term lawmakers, Representative Yoon Hee-sook mentioned, "The current disaster relief fund should aim for relief," and Representative Park Soo-young also said, "It should not be paid to all citizens but to vulnerable groups such as livelihood protection recipients, self-employed individuals, and flood victims."
Opinions within the ruling party are divided. Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who recently rose to first place in presidential candidate favorability polls, emphasized the need for 100% payment on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' saying, "In the long term, if those who pay taxes and those who benefit keep getting separated, taxpayers will get angry," and "Even if 300,000 won is given per person, the increase in the national debt ratio is only 0.8 percentage points, so the country will not collapse because of that."
He criticized Representative Yoon, who said "it should aim for relief," saying, "The disaster relief fund was not started to give money to the poor but to minimally defend the national economy," and "The United Future Party is effectively using the wealthy's tax resistance psychology and opposition to the policy itself."
Kim Boo-kyum, a candidate for the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, also advocated for 100% payment on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' saying, "Selective payment is practically difficult," and Representative Park Joo-min, who is also running for party leader, is advocating for payment to all citizens.
On the other hand, candidate Lee Nak-yeon appeared on KBS's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strong Current Affairs' and emphasized selective payment, saying, "If the situation worsens, it may become a state that cannot be resolved with disaster relief funds," and "Unlike when disaster relief funds were given this spring, the finances are now completely depleted," adding, "If disaster relief funds are to be given, we will have no choice but to borrow money, so we must think much more seriously about protecting the treasury."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
