607.7조 '슈퍼예산안' 본회의 통과…역대 최대 규모
This morning, the South Korean parliament has passed a record-breaking budget for next year.
It's worth over 515 billion U.S. dollars, much of it to help with recovery from the pandemic, both the virus itself and its impact on people's livelihoods.
Lee Kyung-eun has the details.
"I declare the revised bill for the 2022 budget has been passed."
The South Korean parliament has passed a record budget for next year some 5-hundred-15 billion U.S. dollars.
Up 8-point-9 percent on-year,... the budget breaks the 500 billion mark for the first time.
It reflects final adjustments by the National Assembly... that increased the overall budget for the pandemic recovery - resulting an extra 2-point-8 billion dollars.... added to the government's initial proposal.
The pandemic recovery includes,... helping small businesses where more than 1-tenth of the total budget... will be injected...
either by direct compensation or by boosting domestic consumption with the roll out of currency coupons.
Meanwhile....nearly 6 billion dollars are set aside for antivirus efforts like securing anti-viral pills and more hospital beds.
In addition to the pandemic recovery,... the budget will also pave the way for building South Korea's first light aircraft carrier one of President Moon Jae-in's pledges.
Some 6 million dollars have been set aside for the initial designing of a 30-thousand ton aircraft carrier to ramp up deterrence and long-range operation capability.
It is the critical first step in the decade-long project,… which is expected to cost some 2 billion dollars in total by the time it is complete in 2033.
But this was also a source of controversy between the rival parties.
The ruling Democratic Party maintained that the project cannot be delayed any further.
But questioning the necessity and feasibility, the main opposition People Power Party said that,...such an expensive project should be left for the next administration to consider.... when it takes office in May.
Their negotiations went on until the last minute,... causing the passage to be delayed by one day over Thursday's deadline.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.
#SouthKorea #parliament #budget
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2021-12-03, 17:00 (KST)
