Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the People Power Party, has criticized the Democratic Party for allegedly using tactics to threaten the government and ruling party over budget proposals, calling it an act of deceit towards the public. At a parliamentary meeting, Choo accused the Democratic Party of hypocritically cutting 4 trillion won from the already tight government budget and then advocating for an expansionary fiscal policy. He stated that such actions were inconsistent and shameless.
Choo also claimed that the Democratic Party’s independent handling of the reduced budget proposal aimed to increase funds for the Lee Jae-myung-promoted regional gift certificates. He asserted that this move was a strategic trick to coerce concessions from the government and the ruling party.
The Democratic Party, however, refutes these accusations. Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, criticized the ruling party’s demand for an apology, describing it as nonsensical. He urged the People Power Party to present a budget proposal focused on people’s livelihoods and economic recovery rather than demanding apologies. Park pointed out that cuts in reserve funds and special activity expenses do not paralyze state functions and are unrelated to risks concerning livelihoods, business, or the economy.
He also highlighted that the real entities needing to apologize are the government and the People Power Party for reducing welfare project budgets, allegedly to cover the fiscal imbalance caused by tax cuts for the wealthy. Park insisted that if the government and the ruling party wish to see an improvement in economic conditions, they should propose increased budgets. Otherwise, they should consider giving up their governance.