The Democratic Party of Korea is promoting a plan to increase the amount of consumer coupons for non-metropolitan and rural areas during the review process of the 2025 second supplementary budget. The intention is to maximize the effect of restoring people's livelihoods through tailored support for regions facing more difficult economic conditions than the metropolitan area.
The Democratic Party noted in the direction of the supplementary budget review announced on the 30th, "There is a need for greater attention and consideration for local economies that are experiencing increasing economic difficulties compared to Seoul and the metropolitan area," adding that, "For non-metropolitan areas, we will push to increase support funds to provide an additional 30,000 won per person, and for areas facing population decline in rural regions, we aim to provide an additional 50,000 won."
To ensure that this supplementary budget acts as a catalyst for reviving people's livelihoods, tailored support that fits the circumstances of each region is crucial, and there is a need to expand support for regions with relatively greater economic difficulties. The relevant consumer coupons will be provided in the form of local currency to encourage spending within the region.
Additionally, to alleviate the financial burden on local governments, measures are being considered to lower the matching ratio for consumer coupon support projects (currently 20-30%). The Democratic Party said, "For the past two years, astronomical tax revenue losses have severely affected the financial condition of local governments, and the revenue conditions this year are also not favorable due to continuous economic recession," emphasizing that "the burden on local governments must be eased."
The Democratic Party also revealed its policy to increase funds for items closely related to people's livelihoods, including ▲ childcare fee unit price increase ▲ expansion of supported personnel for weekend activities for individuals with developmental disabilities ▲ support for art instructor salaries in elementary and secondary schools.
On this day, starting from the commencement of the Special Committee on Budget & Accounts' review of the supplementary budget bill, the Democratic Party aims to process the supplementary budget bill in the plenary session on July 3. Jin Sung-jun, chair of the Democratic Party's policy committee, stated, "To revive the economy and people's livelihoods, rapid passage and execution of the supplementary budget are crucial," urging that "the opposition also actively cooperate in the review of the supplementary budget so we do not miss the golden time for restoring people's livelihoods."