Handonghun "People Will Be Surprised by the Democratic Party's Investigation Budget Cuts"
Hong Ikpyo "Nonsense... Explain the Usage First"
Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, directly criticized Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, saying, "Stop playing word games and disclose where the (special activity fund) budget was spent." This was a rebuttal to Minister Han's remark that "the public will be surprised that the entire investigation budget of only 275 million won is being cut," following speculation that the Democratic Party might cut the entire special activity fund related to drug investigations from next year's Ministry of Justice budget.
At a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th, Floor Leader Hong said, "I have refrained from reacting to Minister Han Dong-hoon until now, but it has become so ridiculous that I must say something," and asked, "They say they want to eliminate about 270 million won of drug investigation funds (by the Democratic Party), but does giving 1 billion won for drug investigations eradicate drug crimes?" He added, "If they explain where the (special activity funds) were spent, the budget can be increased," and criticized, "An ordinary minister is making nonsensical remarks."
Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is talking with Park Ju-min, the chief deputy floor leader, at the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Earlier, during the review of next year's Ministry of Justice budget by the Democratic Party, there was speculation that Minister Han was pushing to cut the entire special activity fund related to drug investigations. Minister Han pointed out, "The public will probably be surprised that the special activity fund is only 275 million won, and also surprised that the Democratic Party intends to cut the entire investigation budget of only 275 million won."
Floor Leader Hong stated, "While forcing struggling citizens to tighten their belts, the government mocks them with the double standard of wasteful spending," and pointed out, "The significantly increased operational expenses of power institutions and the specific operational expenses, known as the second special activity fund, are at the center of this." He continued, "The operational expenses and specific operational expenses of government ministries have increased by tens of billions compared to this year, totaling over 1 trillion won," and questioned, "With the budgets of power institutions such as the Presidential Office, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Board of Audit and Inspection, and Ministry of Justice significantly increasing, which citizen can trust the government's call to save finances?"
He also claimed, "President Yoon Suk-yeol and Minister Han Dong-hoon's prosecution have concealed the details of how the taxpayers' money, given for investigations, was spent, and the public is outraged over suspicions that the funds were shared before the holidays." He then demanded three criteria be met: ▲ an official government apology for inappropriate operational expenses and strengthened punishment regulations for improper use ▲ recognition of the special activity fund budget to the extent explained through the submission of materials for transparency ▲ improvement and disclosure of internal guidelines and establishment of a post-management system based on them.
Floor Leader Hong emphasized, "The Democratic Party will definitely correct the government's deceptive budget that fills its own pockets by emptying the citizens' wallets," and added, "We will ensure that the budget is not wasted where it is unnecessary and that taxpayers' money is not consumed as petty cash by power institutions."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
