1.3 Trillion Won Added to Government Proposal
People Power Party Boycotts Vote
On July 4, the National Assembly passed the 2025 Second Supplementary Budget Bill, amounting to 31.8 trillion won, led by the Democratic Party of Korea.
At the plenary session held that day, the National Assembly approved the supplementary budget bill, which increased the government's original proposal of 30.5 trillion won by 1.3 trillion won, bringing the total to 31.8 trillion won. Of the 182 members present, 168 voted in favor, 3 opposed, and 11 abstained. The People Power Party boycotted the vote, demanding an apology from the ruling party regarding the reinstatement of special activity funds for the Presidential Office.
The total budget for the core project of the supplementary budget, the Livelihood Recovery Support Fund, was approved at 12.1709 trillion won, an increase of 1.8742 trillion won. Special activity funds for four institutions?the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Justice, Board of Audit and Inspection, and National Police Agency?were also increased by 10.5 billion won.
The consumption coupon program saw an increase of 1.8742 trillion won, bringing the total to 10.2967 trillion won, by adjusting the ratio of central government support. In addition, the budget for expanding the supply of zero-emission vehicles was increased by 105 billion won, and the budget for infant and toddler care support was increased by 113.1 billion won.
With the supplementary budget bill passing the National Assembly, it is expected that livelihood recovery consumption coupons could be distributed as early as this month. The livelihood recovery consumption coupon program provides every citizen with a coupon worth between 150,000 and 550,000 won to boost consumption.
On this day, the ruling and opposition parties clashed until just before the plenary session over the budget for the livelihood recovery consumption coupon program and the increase in special activity funds for the Presidential Office. The People Power Party criticized the supplementary budget bill, which included the special activity funds for the Presidential Office that had been completely eliminated under the previous administration, stating that "an apology to the people is necessary."
Within the Democratic Party, last-minute disagreements over the prosecution's special activity funds delayed the passage of the supplementary budget bill. When hardline lawmakers belatedly objected to the inclusion of the prosecution's special activity funds, a revised bill was introduced with an additional condition: "Special activity funds for the prosecution will be provided only after the completion of prosecution reform legislation."
Due to the standoff between the ruling and opposition parties, the plenary session originally scheduled for 2:00 p.m. was postponed several times and finally convened at around 8:40 p.m. Even after the session began, National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonshik delayed the vote on the supplementary budget bill while waiting for People Power Party lawmakers to attend. When the People Power Party lawmakers ultimately did not appear, Speaker Woo proceeded with the vote on the supplementary budget bill at around 10:55 p.m. that evening.
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