PPP Budget Committee Members: "One-Day Policy Inquiry on Supplementary Budget Is Rushed, At Least Two Days Needed"

"Considering All Options, Including a Boycott"

The People Power Party urged the Democratic Party to "cancel the unilateral schedule and set a new one in consultation with the opposition" after the Democratic Party decided to hold the comprehensive policy inquiry for the supplementary budget bill, worth over 30 trillion won, for only one day.

People Power Party Lawmakers Hold a Press Conference Condemning the Democratic Party's Arbitrary Operation of the Budget and Accounts Committee

On June 29, members of the People Power Party serving on the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts held a press conference at the National Assembly and stated, "Han Byungdo, the Democratic Party's chair of the committee, unilaterally announced the schedule for the supplementary budget review immediately after being elected as chair, completely excluding the opinions of the opposition parties."

They said, "Once the committee chair is elected and each party's committee members are appointed, the chair should convene a full committee meeting to first elect the secretaries, and then set the meeting schedule in consultation with the elected secretaries. This is in accordance with the National Assembly Act and established practices." They added, "Chair Han's unilateral announcement of the supplementary budget schedule is an act that completely disregards the National Assembly Act and parliamentary conventions."

They also criticized, "The decision to hold the comprehensive policy inquiry for only one day is itself a rush job. Even during the first supplementary budget of 12.2 trillion won in April, the policy inquiry was held over two days. How can it make sense to conduct the policy inquiry for just one day when reviewing a supplementary budget of 30.5 trillion won, which is more than double the previous amount?"

Park Hyungsoo, the People Power Party's secretary on the committee, told reporters after the press conference, "The policy inquiry should be guaranteed at least two days. To conclude the committee's inquiry in just one day is tantamount to depriving the National Assembly of its right to review." He added, "We will fully discuss and set our course of action with our floor leader. We will consider all options, from boycotting the meeting to participating and voicing our objections during the policy inquiry."

Previously, the committee announced a review schedule for the supplementary budget bill, which included holding the comprehensive policy inquiry on June 30, convening the budget subcommittee on July 1, and reviewing and voting on the supplementary budget bill on July 3.