Yoon Transition Team: "Contingency Funds for Yongsan Relocation Likely to Be Approved Soon at Interim Cabinet Meeting"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyemin and Moon Jewon] The supplementary budget necessary for relocating the presidential office to Yongsan is expected to be approved at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting as early as the 6th.

Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the president-elect, held a briefing on the 5th at the transition committee office in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, stating, "I believe cooperation will proceed smoothly."

Spokesperson Kim explained the reason the agenda was not submitted to the Cabinet meeting that day, saying, "I heard it took some time practically." She added, "It could be done tomorrow or the day after, very soon. We are cooperating amicably with the Blue House, and after the dinner between President Moon Jae-in and President-elect Yoon, I believe cooperation is being properly established on a broad scale."

Regarding reports that the Blue House and President-elect Yoon's side clashed over the scale of the supplementary budget to be submitted to the Cabinet meeting, she said, "There is no stepwise response according to the amount. Communication based on mutual trust is prioritized, so there is no exchange of opinions between the parties regarding specific amounts of the supplementary budget." Initially, President-elect Yoon proposed a supplementary budget of 49.6 billion won, but it is known that the amount to be submitted to the Cabinet meeting is in the 30 billion won range.

A transition committee official stated, "I understand that Lee Cheol-hee, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House, called Jang Je-won, Chief of Staff for the president-elect, to inform him about holding an extraordinary Cabinet meeting." He added, "Although the exact amount is unknown, there is absolutely no unnecessary tension between the Blue House and the president-elect depending on the amount. Since broad cooperation has already been established between the president and the president-elect, the rest will naturally follow as the relevant ministries decide," denying any negative atmosphere.