Source: Yonhap News
President Yoon Seok-yeol visited the National Assembly plenary session today and delivered his first remedial speech following taking office.
I am here to explain the contents of the 59.4 trillion won supplementary budget bill that the government prepared last week and to urge the National Assembly to pass the budget quickly.
President Yoon said that 24.5 trillion won of this supplementary budget will be used to compensate for losses of at least 6 million won to 10 million won per person. He stressed that it would come back to the financial burden.
He added that he would invest 6.1 trillion won in diagnostic testing expenses, paid leave, purchase of medicines and secure beds, and provide emergency living subsidies to 2.27 million low-income families.
President Yoon, who did not mention cooperation or integration in his inaugural address on May 10, mentioned the word ‘cooperation’ five times in today’s speech.
This seems to be because the opposition party’s cooperation is needed in a situation where there is a lot of opposition in order to pass the budget for supporting small businesses, which is his first pledge.
On the other hand, he emphasized the need to spare no effort to support North Koreans who are known to have a serious COVID-19 epidemic, and said that if North Korea responds, it will provide corona vaccines, medicines, medical equipment, and health personnel.
However, he also mentioned that North Korea is upgrading its nuclear weapons system by launching a missile two days following taking office and showing signs of a nuclear test.
It is a so-called ‘two-track’ principle that, while strict security measures will be taken, humanitarian aid will be provided regardless of the political situation.
President Yoon said, “It was a personally happy and honorable event, and I hope it will become a page where democracy and parliamentaryism develop.”
At the main meeting hall, I shook hands with lawmakers from opposition parties such as the Democratic Party of Korea and the Justice Party.
