JeonGyoJo Gyeongbuk Branch Protests Council's Complete Cut of Office Rent Budget
Possibility of Budget Restoration to Be Discussed at Special Committee Meeting
On April 21 at 11:00 a.m., the Gyeongbuk branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (JeonGyoJo) held a press conference in front of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council to protest the council's decision to cut the entire 30 million won budget for their office rent.
When preparing this year's original budget, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council eliminated the 30 million won allocated for the office rent of the JeonGyoJo Gyeongbuk branch in downtown Andong. Until last year, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education and other related organizations had provided 30 million won annually for the office rent through the budget.
However, in January, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education included the 30 million won office rent for the JeonGyoJo Gyeongbuk branch in its supplementary budget proposal and submitted it to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council. Nevertheless, on April 16, the council's Education Committee reviewed the supplementary budget and once again cut the entire amount.
Officials from the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council stated, "We understand that the entire budget was cut because the office rent support for the JeonGyoJo Gyeongbuk branch was deemed excessive and the office space was considered too large." They added, "However, the 30 million won office rent budget for the JeonGyoJo Gyeongbuk branch will be discussed again at the council's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts scheduled for April 24, and there is a possibility that the budget could be restored at that time."
Cho Yongjin, Vice Chair of the council's Education Committee (People Power Party, Gimcheon), explained, "The entire budget was cut because the JeonGyoJo Gyeongbuk branch ignored two requests to move to a smaller and less expensive office, as the current office in Andong is too large and the rent is too high."
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