The employee expenses executed by the presidential office and the presidential security office last year exceeded 100 billion won, setting a record high in the past 10 years, announced on the 26th by Rep. Cha Gyugeun of the National Homeland Innovation Party.
According to the data submitted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, as reported by Rep. Cha, the actual amount of employee expenses at the Yongsan Presidential Office and the Presidential Security Office in 2023 was 107,540 million won.
This figure represents an increase of approximately 51% compared to the 66,650 million won in 2014 and about 6.8% compared to the first year of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration in 2022.
The ‘operating budget,’ which includes employee expenses, goods expenses, previous expenses, and asset acquisitions, reached around 210.749 billion won last year, the highest in the past 10 years.
Compared to the approximately 155.9 billion won in 2014, it increased by about 35%, and compared to the figure when it was moved to Yongsan in 2022, it increased by about 12%, analyzed Rep. Cha.
Rep. Cha stated, “Contrary to the promise to streamline the organization into a strategic organization, it has been proven that the Yongsan Presidential Office is becoming more bloated,” adding, “With the expected revival of the Second Annex and the Senior Presidential Secretary Office this year, operating costs are expected to increase further.”