Woo Won-sik "Lack of discussion... Will not submit the budget bill to today's plenary session"

"Apologies to the Public for Missing the Legal Deadline"
One-Week Additional Negotiation Recommended to Both Parties

Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-sik announced on the afternoon of the 2nd that he would not submit next year's budget proposal to the plenary session.

At a press conference that day, Speaker Woo said, "The budget approved by the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts has been submitted to the plenary session. However, after careful consideration, I have decided not to submit the budget proposal to today's plenary session. As a result, I deeply apologize to the public for not meeting the legal deadline."

He added, "The reason for postponing the submission to the plenary session despite risking non-compliance with the legal deadline is because I believe that passing the budget would hardly give hope to the people."

Earlier, opposition parties including the Democratic Party of Korea cut approximately 2.4 trillion won from the budgets of the prosecution and major power institutions, including 8.251 billion won for special activity expenses of the Presidential Secretariat and National Security Office, 50.691 billion won for specific prosecution work expenses, 8.09 billion won for prosecution special activity expenses, 3.1 billion won for police special activity expenses, 4.5 billion won for the Board of Audit and Inspection's special expenses, and 1.5 billion won for the Board's special activity expenses.

On the 2nd, Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, and senior lawmakers paid a protest visit to Woo Won-shik's office, the Speaker of the National Assembly, to express their opposition to the reduction budget bill's passage in the plenary session.

Speaker Woo recommended that ruling and opposition parties engage in additional negotiations over the next week. He said, "There seems to be a lack of sincere discussion regarding the budget proposal. As the majority and ruling party, we must fulfill our responsibilities and duties to the people," adding, "A change in the government's attitude is necessary."

He continued, "If the government budget is delayed, the budget execution of local governments will also be delayed. Economic and livelihood stabilization will be postponed," and urged, "Ultimately, the damage will fall on the people. I ask the government to take a more proactive stance."