Kim Dong-yeon: "Support should focus on those in need, not everyone"
Kim Boo-kyum: "Will we continue political strife over the supplementary budget?"
Kim Kyung-soo: "Democratic discussion and deliberation are necessary"
As the Democratic Party proposed an additional supplementary budget of 35 trillion won for livelihood recovery, opposition voices against the '250,000 won per person' livelihood recovery consumption coupon support, one of Lee Jae-myung's presidential pledges, are growing, mainly from the non-Lee Jae-myung (Bi Lee Jae-myung) faction. There are concerns that it could fuel political conflict with the ruling party, and since a large-scale budget of 13 trillion won is being invested, selective support rather than universal support is necessary.
Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon recently said on his Facebook, "Rather than distributing equally to all citizens, let's provide dense and substantial support to those in difficulty." He argued that selective support focusing on low-income groups and small business owners is more effective than the universal support proposed by Lee.
Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, mentioned as a potential opposition presidential candidate, also wrote, "How long will we continue political strife over the supplementary budget? We might miss the golden time. The Democratic Party should make a big concession. Let's give up the insistence on 250,000 won."
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Kim Kyung-soo, former governor of Gyeongnam, are meeting at the National Assembly on February 13, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyun-min
Former lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae, from the pro-Roh Moo-hyun (Chinno) faction, said, "Let's get a grip. Let's take the right path. It is not about giving 250,000 won to all citizens," adding, "Let's focus on supporting low-income groups and stimulating consumption." He also argued, "We must firmly follow the path of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, that is, a party for the middle class and common people, a path of moderate reform."
He also suggested the need for further discussion within the party. Former Gyeongnam Province Governor Kim Kyung-soo pointed out during a meeting with Lee on the 13th, "I think changing the party's identity or line must go through democratic discussion and deliberation procedures."
However, the Democratic Party leadership insists that universal support is necessary for livelihood recovery. Heo Young, the opposition whip of the Budget and Accounts Committee who planned the party's supplementary budget, emphasized, "To avoid missing the golden time for the low-income economy, it is inevitable to provide universal support payments that have immediate effects."
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