The Culture. Sports. and Tourism Committee reduced the budget for "marketing to attract Chinese tourists" during its review of the supplementary budget and sent it to the Special Committee on Budget & Accounts, according to findings. The budget in question was cited by the opposition at the ruling-opposition-government council on people's livelihood and the economy as an example of "pork-barrel insertions." In particular, the entire 500 million won set aside for baggage-carrying services for Chinese tourists, which had drawn controversy, was cut.
According to political circles on the 7th, the Culture. Sports. and Tourism Committee, in a preliminary review of the supplementary budget the previous day, passed the budget for the "support project to revitalize marketing to attract foreign tourists" at 28.1 billion won, a 2.5 billion won reduction from the original 30.6 billion won.
An official at the Culture. Sports. and Tourism Committee told ChosunBiz, "Only 2.5 billion won was cut from the support project to revitalize marketing to attract foreign tourists, and it passed." Still, the 28.1 billion won figure reduced by the committee is 603.9% higher than the initial main budget of 4.653 billion won.
Initially, the government submitted to the National Assembly a 30.6 billion won budget for the "support project to revitalize marketing to attract foreign tourists," citing "expanding attraction of the Greater China market." The detailed items were ▲ 4.986 billion won for developing and promoting tourism products ▲ 4.814 billion won for welcome, hospitality, and convenience enhancement ▲ 20.8 billion won for promotion and marketing in the Chinese market.
In particular, regarding the welcome and hospitality budget, 1 billion won was included to operate Chinese welcome booths and welcome events at major airports and ports, and 1.5 billion won was included to support easy payment and baggage-carrying services. In addition, for Chinese market promotion and marketing, 11 billion won was allocated to support linked tourism products with charter flights from China to Korean provinces, and 5 billion won was earmarked for marketing using influencers.
The opposition criticized the project as a "baggage-carrying budget for Chinese tourists," saying the benefits for Chinese visitors were excessive and did not fit the intent of a "war supplementary budget." In the end, 2.5 billion won was cut during the committee's review. The 500 million won for baggage-carrying services was fully eliminated, and 1.6 billion won was cut from the budget for cruise port call welcome events. The remaining 400 million won was reduced from other adjustment items as a reserve.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok said at the ruling-opposition-government council on people's livelihood and the economy at the Blue House that "306 billion won was included in the supplementary budget for projects such as carrying luggage for Chinese tourists," adding, "These budgets are prime examples that do not fit the purpose of a war-time supplementary budget at all."
Reform Party floor leader Cheon Ha-ram also said during the Special Committee on Budget & Accounts' comprehensive policy inquiry the same day that "this supplementary budget includes funding for a 'baggage-carrying service' that carries Chinese tourists' luggage," criticizing that "taking advantage of the short review period for the supplementary budget, 30 billion won was added and inserted into the supplementary budget regarding the size of the budget for Chinese tourists."
President Lee Jae-myung also said at the ruling-opposition-government council that if the project is limited to Chinese nationals, it should be cut, after hearing leader Jang Dong-hyeok's point. Lee said, "Surely it won't be only for Chinese," adding, "If it is limited to Chinese people, cut it."