Discord in Budget Committee Over 3 Trillion Won Extra Budget Review... Opposition Walks Out in Protest of Ruling Party's Schedule

Schedule Compressed for Three-Day Passage
Democratic Party: "Stalling for Time" vs People Power Party: "Rushed Review"

The Democratic Party of Korea has launched a rapid push to process the supplementary budget (extra budget) worth 3.05 trillion won. The party plans to complete the comprehensive questioning on the supplementary budget in a single day, immediately convene a subcommittee for deliberation, and aims to pass the bill by July 3.

On June 30, the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts at the National Assembly held a full meeting and decided to begin reviewing the supplementary budget. Han Byungdo, the Democratic Party member who chairs the committee, announced a plan to finish the comprehensive policy questioning?which usually takes two days?in just one day, and to expedite the review of the budget bill by convening a subcommittee starting July 1.

On the 30th, members of the People Power Party are leaving during the full meeting of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts held at the National Assembly. 2025.6.30 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

In a prior interview with KBS Radio, Chair Han said, "Starting today, the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts will proceed, and we plan to complete the (full meeting) review today and move straight to the subcommittee to ensure that everything is finalized before the end of this extraordinary session." In response to opposition criticism that the questioning time was too short, he stated, "Given the current situation, this is an issue that must be handled without delay," and added, "If there is a sense of urgency regarding people's livelihoods, we must process it even if it means staying up all night, and I am willing to change the session schedule if necessary." By mentioning the possibility of changing the session schedule, he indicated that time could be guaranteed to allow policy questioning even after midnight on July 3.

However, the opposition party objected to this approach. Park Hyungsoo, the People Power Party member serving as the committee's secretary, stated during the full meeting, "Chair Han Byungdo unilaterally announced the agenda," and argued, "Today's schedule should be completely halted and the meeting adjourned so that the secretaries of both parties can discuss the schedule." Following this, People Power Party members left the committee meeting room. After leaving, the People Power Party committee members held a press conference, stating, "The committee schedule must be re-announced," and added, "We will negotiate the timing with the ruling party secretary. If a smooth agreement cannot be reached, we have no intention of returning to the supplementary budget review."

Lee Soyoung, the Democratic Party member serving as the committee's secretary, said, "They claim that the comprehensive policy questioning cannot be done in a single day, but I question what purpose this serves other than to stall for time." She referred to the unique situation of a government transition without a transition committee, saying, "Who are we supposed to question?" and pointed out, "Some ministers have said they will not attend because new ministers have been appointed, and about half of those present are leaving because their terms are ending." She continued, "What is the point of conducting two days of policy questioning of the government in this situation?" and added, "I truly wonder if the real intention is to delay and obstruct the supplementary budget review simply because they are dissatisfied with it."