Ahn Cheolsoo: "35 Trillion Won Supplementary Budget Is Lee's Election Populism... Support Needed for AI and Semiconductors"

"If We Invest 50 Trillion Won in Semiconductors, It Will Generate 500 Trillion Won in Ten Years"
Ahn Cheolsoo Criticizes Lee Jaemyung’s Supplementary Budget Proposal as “Premature Populism”

On February 16, Ahn Cheolsoo, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, criticized Lee Jaemyung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, for pushing a supplementary budget bill that includes a '250,000 won universal livelihood support payment,' calling it "premature populism aimed at the presidential election."

Yonhap News Agency

Through his Facebook account that day, Ahn remarked, "Does Lee Jaemyung and his family really need the 250,000 won support payment disguised as local currency? This supplementary budget, characteristic of Lee Jaemyung, clearly shows how much populism he would indulge in if he came to power, given that his mind is elsewhere."

He continued, "A true supplementary budget for livelihood is one that helps those who are genuinely struggling," adding, "Scattering such a massive amount of money is simply debt for the future generations in their 20s and 30s."

Ahn also stated, "If we allocate 10 trillion won in a supplementary budget for artificial intelligence (AI), it will return as national power several dozen times over in a few years. Let’s provide state support for semiconductors like the US, Japan, and China. If we invest 50 trillion won from the national treasury, it will generate 500 trillion won in wealth in ten years."

On February 13, the Democratic Party proposed a 'super supplementary budget' of 35 trillion won to restore livelihoods and promote economic growth. This includes a 13 trillion won 'livelihood recovery consumption coupon' and allocates 5 trillion won for future industry investments such as expanding AI and semiconductor investments.