[Gwanga in] Persuading Until the End Despite Opposition... Three Budget Office Members Awarded

Ministry of Economy and Finance Selects 3 Officials as 'Budget Person of the Month'
24-Hour Care for Severely Disabled, Newborn 3-Piece Set, K-PASS
Budget Office Reviewers Persuade Multiple Times to Pass Key Projects

Officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance who actively discovered key budget projects for next year have attracted attention by receiving awards.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance on the 11th, recently, Budget Officers Kim Jeong-do (Welfare Budget Division, 63rd Administrative Examination), Lee Han-gyeol (Land, Infrastructure and Transport Budget Division, 60th Administrative Examination), and Lee Se-hwan (Land, Infrastructure and Transport Budget Division, 6th Public Sector Career Recruitment) were selected as the "Budget Person of the Month." The Budget Person of the Month is an award given by the Ministry to budget office employees who have made significant contributions. It is not selected every month but only when there is a notable achievement.

All three officers proposed key budget projects for 2024 and persuaded their colleagues. Officer Kim proposed the budget for "24-hour care for severely disabled developmental disorder patients." This project is a policy that supports uninterrupted care for developmental disorder patients nationwide. The policy, which was previously only in Gwangju City, was expanded nationwide, with about 100 million KRW allocated per person.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho (right) is delivering opening remarks at a preliminary detailed briefing on the "2024 Budget Proposal and the 2023-2027 National Operation Plan" held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 24th of last month.

Initially, the Ministry of Economy and Finance was reluctant to provide national treasury support due to the overly narrow support targets and complex support system. There were particular concerns that the benefits of the system would be limited to only a few. Officer Kim judged, through dozens of field visits and investigations, that most applicants could be supported. He persuaded the reviewers by stating, "People with autism spectrum disorder are in welfare blind spots and their average life expectancy does not exceed their twenties," leading to the project's approval.

Inside the ministry, there was praise that this changed the budget paradigm of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. A senior official said, "Our approach has been to support as many citizens as possible even with small amounts of money," adding, "Conversely, despite the small number of beneficiaries and large per-person support, the achievement of emphasizing the necessity of the project and getting it approved is significant."

Key Budget Projects Passed After Multiple Persuasions

Officer Lee Han-gyeol devised the so-called "Newborn Triple Package" budget. The Newborn Triple Package aims to provide housing stability for new parents by easing income requirements, expanding loan limits, and offering special newborn housing allocations. The income limit for Didimdol loans was raised from 70 million KRW to 130 million KRW annually, and a "newborn type" was newly established for special sales and priority rental allocations. The loan limit increased from 400 million KRW to 500 million KRW, and the loan interest rate became 2-3 percentage points lower than commercial banks.

This budget also faced difficulties in passing. There were concerns about whether the drastic benefits would have sufficient effect. Criticism was raised about fairness compared to other social classes. In fact, repeated opposition was voiced during the first and second reviews. Officer Lee Han-gyeol repeatedly supplemented the draft by adding income criteria to the originally asset-based draft and succeeded in pushing the budget through the final review.

Officer Lee said, "The proportion of dual-income households among young people is rising more steeply than in older generations, and there are quite a few disguised unmarried couples," adding, "I clearly showed that the current system is an obstacle for those willing to have children and persuaded the reviewers." He emphasized to the reviewers that "Since low birth rates are severe, it is time to invest boldly," which resonated well.

Officer Lee Se-hwan received an award for the K-PASS budget. K-PASS is an integrated subway and bus pass that offers a 20% discount if public transportation is used more than 21 times a month. For example, if someone rides a Seoul bus with a base fare of 1,500 KRW 21 times a month, they receive a refund of 6,300 KRW monthly. Youth and low-income groups receive even greater discounts of 30% and 53%, respectively.

Although there is currently a Thrifty Transportation Card, Officer Lee Se-hwan identified that the main users, young people, found it inconvenient to use. This was due to the system requiring mileage accumulation through walking or cycling to receive discounts. Officer Lee said, "I persuaded by sharing cases from acquaintances from the youth perspective," and mentioned, "I appealed to the growing public interest in reducing transportation costs."