As the preparation of a supplementary budget for large-scale forest fire response in the Yeongnam region becomes urgent, the political realm is embroiled in a dispute over the issue of the 'contingency fund.' The People Power Party stated that the opposition reduced the contingency fund last year, leaving only 600 billion won in available budget, calling for restoration of the contingency fund. In contrast, the Democratic Party believes that the 2.4 trillion won in the contingency fund, along with departmental budgets and national treasury debt, is sufficient.

Members of the ruling People Power Party in the Strategy and Finance Committee criticize Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung's statement that disaster-related reserve funds are sufficient during a press conference regarding disaster reserve funds, including wildfires, held on the afternoon of Oct. 30 at the National Assembly's communication center in Yeouido, Seoul, urging the opposition to cooperate on supplementary budgets for wildfire response. /Courtesy of News1

◇Opposition party's cut contingency fund of 2.4 trillion, ruling party says 'actual available amount is 400 billion'

Members of the People Power Party from the Strategy and Finance Committee held a press conference on the 30th, stating, 'Representative Lee Jae-myung is engaging in a national deception by claiming that disaster response funds are sufficient,' urging the Democratic Party to cooperate on the 'contingency fund supplementary budget' for forest fire response.

The ruling party's members of the Strategy and Finance Committee pointed out regarding the 2.4 trillion won of the contingency fund, which the Democratic Party cut by half last year, that 'even the 1.6 trillion won earmarked for disaster-related purposes cannot all be used for forest fire response.' They stated that the only available budget is the earmarked fund (400 billion won) without a specified use.

This is a figure excluding the earmarked fund (900 billion won) for the high school free education law (bill to amend the local educational finance grant-in-aid law) and the earmarked fund (about 300 billion won) for free childcare for children aged 5 that passed the National Assembly plenary session under the lead of the Democratic Party. In other words, the claim is that only the remaining earmarked funds totaling 1.2 trillion won for free education and childcare can be used for forest fire response.

Reference material titled 'Current Status of Available Resources for Disaster Recovery' published by the members of the ruling People Power Party in the Strategy and Finance Committee. /Courtesy of People Power Party

◇'Departmental budgets' 927 billion vs only 200 billion available

Opinions on the costs for disaster and emergency response varied. Earlier, Representative Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party mentioned this cost as '970 billion won.' In response, the People Power Party said, 'The actual cost is 927 billion won, and the representative lied.' However, Jin Seong-jun, chair of the Democratic Party's policy committee, noted on the 28th that 'there was a typo in the working report,' confirming that 927 billion won is correct.

The People Power Party estimated that the immediately usable budget among these is around 200 billion won. They stated that the remaining 720 billion won has already been executed elsewhere or has a designated use, making it unavailable.

In summary, the Democratic Party believes that for forest fire response, ▲ contingency fund of 2.4 trillion won ▲ departmental disaster and emergency response budget of 927 billion won ▲ disaster recovery national treasury debt of 1.5 trillion won total approximately 4.8 trillion won can be utilized. Conversely, the People Power Party states that only ▲ 400 billion won from the contingency fund and ▲ 200 billion won from the departmental disaster and emergency response budget, totaling 600 billion won, can be used for forest fire response, thus insisting on adding more to the contingency fund.

After the conference, Song Eon-seok, the strategy and finance committee member of the People Power Party, told reporters, 'Hasn't Representative Lee Jae-myung been insisting on the supplementary budget?' and added, 'If discussions include the People Power Party strategy and finance committee's opinion on the necessity of increasing the contingency fund for forest fire recovery, there should be no significant issues in implementing the supplementary budget.'

Jin Sung-jun, the policy chief of the Democratic Party, speaks at a policy coordination meeting held at the Democratic Party's tent office in front of Gwanghwamun in Jongno District, Seoul, on Oct. 27. /Courtesy of News1

◇Government pushes for '10 trillion supplementary budget,' opposition party seeks 35 trillion won

Meanwhile, the government announced it would pursue the preparation of a supplementary budget of 10 trillion won on this day. However, it named this 'essential supplementary budget,' which only includes necessary fiscal requirements for disaster and disaster response to large-scale forest fire damage, strengthening competitiveness in trade and artificial intelligence (AI), and supporting the livelihoods of the people. Specific details or figures by field have not yet been disclosed.

The supplementary budget plan prepared by the Democratic Party is 35 trillion won in scale. It includes Lee's key policies such as consumption coupons for economic recovery and support for local currency discounts. Jin stated, 'This supplementary budget begins from the acknowledgment that the livelihood economy is extremely difficult, and it won't end with just the forest fire supplementary budget,' and added, 'To encompass consumption stimulation, livelihood economy, trade measures against the U.S., support for Mirae Industries, and forest fire measures, 35 trillion won may be woefully insufficient.'