The government and ruling Democratic Party agreed Wednesday to push to pass an extra budget bill aimed at creating jobs during a June parliamentary session.
The new government plans to submit an 11 trillion-won ($9.8 billion) supplementary budget proposal to the National Assembly next week. It was announced as part of the administration's efforts to implement President Moon Jae-in's campaign pledges.
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Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Il-ho (right) speaks during a ruling party-government meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 31, 2017. Democratic Party floor leader Woo Won-shik is seated to his right. (Yonhap) |
In a press briefing following the first party-government consultations since Moon's inauguration this month, Democratic Party chief policymaker Kim Tae-nyeon said the party and government agreed to push for the bill's passage during the June session.
They will aim to raise the extra budget without issuing government bonds, he said.
The party also urged the government to expand public sector jobs in the areas of safety and welfare services, raise the salaries of senior citizens, increase the budget for the treatment of senile dementia and nursing homes, and double the income of employees on child care leave for the first three months, according to Kim.
The government promised to reflect those demands in the proposal as much as possible, he said.
During the meeting, Woo Won-shik, the party floor leader, called for opposition parties' cooperation in approving the extra budget.
"The passage of an extra budget bill for jobs is absolutely necessary. Now is the right time," Woo said.
"There can be no partisan division over jobs. The people's lives are the most important. I earnestly plead for the opposition's broad cooperation."
Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Il-ho, who doubles as finance minister, said the proposal was drawn up thoroughly based on feasible measures.
"We will work to ensure (the extra budget) is executed as planned for maximum effect," he said. (Yonhap)
