[Interview] Kookja-geun, Budget Committee Whip of People Power Party, "Sound Fiscal Policy... Defending Budget in Standing Committee"

"Socially Vulnerable, Adequate Budget Reflected for Future Generations"
"Budget Focused on 'Welfare' Despite Difficult Financial Conditions"

Editor's NoteStarting with the budget hearing of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts on the 31st of last month, the ruling and opposition parties have entered the battle over next year's budget, totaling 677 trillion won. The major opposition party, which holds an overwhelming number of seats, has already signaled fierce cuts and attacks even before the budget review began. The ruling party, with fewer seats, is also determined to fiercely defend the government’s budget proposal. We interviewed the secretaries of the ruling and opposition parties in the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, who are at the forefront of this budget battle that will last from as short as one month to as long as two months.

On the 31st at the National Assembly, Gu Ja-geun, the ruling party secretary of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts (SCBA) and a member of the People Power Party, stated that the government’s budget proposal maintains a sustainable and sound fiscal policy. He also highly praised the fact that despite being a budget for sound finance, it sufficiently reflects practical welfare for the socially vulnerable and budgets for future generations. During the SCBA hearing held that day, Gu emphasized that disability allowances and livelihood benefits have increased more under the current administration compared to the Moon Jae-in government. This was a rebuttal to the opposition’s criticism that budgets for the vulnerable might be reduced due to fiscal tightening.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

How do you evaluate the government’s budget proposal?

It is moving toward sustainable and sound fiscal management. Nevertheless, practical welfare for the vulnerable and budgets for future generations have been sufficiently reflected.

You emphasized at the hearing that welfare budgets have increased under the current government compared to the Moon Jae-in administration.

Welfare has certainly increased. Overall, areas such as jobs for the disabled and the elderly have expanded. Even under these difficult fiscal conditions, we have concentrated on strengthening welfare.

The Democratic Party is calling for budget cuts. What is your response?

The Democratic Party does as it pleases, so I wonder what we can do. Whether it’s a bill or anything else, if they push, it will go their way. First, we must defend at the level of the National Assembly’s standing committees. We cannot predict what will happen in the committees. Since we don’t know yet, we will monitor the progress in each committee and respond accordingly.

Which items are contentious?

There are areas without disagreement, such as the low birthrate crisis, local extinction crisis, and increases in youth jobs. Budgets that are not divided along party lines probably won’t be problematic. The contentious issues are political, but even those will be thoroughly discussed with the opposition secretaries in the end.

What do you think about the amendment to the National Assembly Act that abolishes the automatic referral of the original government budget proposal to the plenary session?

The statutory deadline for budget approval was set as December 2nd, but this was not decided suddenly. The public saw the ruling and opposition parties fighting over whether to carry the budget into the new year. This law was created as both sides stepped back, realizing this should not happen. It would be good to reflect on the reasons for proposing this law. Heo Young, the opposition secretary of the SCBA, is also a reasonable person, so we will work to narrow the gap.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.