Choo Kyung-ho: "No Reason to Delay for Supplementary Budget, Not Considering It"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho is consoling residents during his visit to a poultry farm in Gongju-si, Chungnam, which was damaged by heavy rain on the 19th.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho emphasized that there is "no reason to delay and no consideration is being given" to the opposition party's demand for an additional supplementary budget for flood recovery.

On the 19th, Deputy Prime Minister Choo visited flood-affected areas including poultry farms in Gongju, Chungnam, and fruit farms in Cheongyang, which were declared special disaster zones, to assess the damage. He then spoke to reporters and made these remarks.

Deputy Prime Minister Choo stated, "Disaster response budgets are basically available in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and there are also contingency funds," adding, "Budgets and financial support measures related to disaster and calamity response are secured." He emphasized, "Rather than an additional supplementary budget, since it is possible to respond with the current budget, support that is practically helpful should be provided."

Currently, the Democratic Party of Korea has officially proposed a supplementary budget to the government and ruling party for flood recovery. On the same day, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, held an on-site supreme council meeting at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Party Office in Andong, Gyeongbuk, stating, "We must now have a supplementary budget for flood recovery nationwide and especially for the recovery of the difficult livelihood economy," and pointed out, "A prompt supplementary budget is absolutely necessary."

Regarding concerns that prices may rise due to the flood damage, Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "There are some unstable factors, but overall downward and stabilizing factors exist, so it is expected that there will not be immediate instability," and forecasted, "After September, it seems likely to be in the mid-2% range."

Meanwhile, while inspecting the flood site in Gongju, Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "The support for housing flooding was said to be increased, but it is far too low," and added, "The government will actively prepare countermeasures. Please send any difficulties encountered on site to the Ministry of Economy and Finance through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs."