Choi Sang-mok said, "Hey, I'm deeply sorry for the budget hostage political dispute...Urge for negotiations"

[Anchor]
The government has strongly protested the Democratic Party of Korea's budget for the reduction.

The government deeply expressed regret to the Democratic Party, calling it an irresponsible move at a golden time for securing industrial competitiveness.

Lee Seung-eun reports.

[Reporter]
The Democratic Party of Korea reduced the budget plan from 677.4 trillion won to 4 trillion won.

In particular, the special activity expenses and specific work expenses of the four major power organizations were completely reduced.

Excluding the National Assembly, it is 76.1 billion won in the budget of the Presidential Secretariat, the National Security Office, the prosecution, the police, and the Board of Audit and Inspection.

[Lee Sang-min / Minister of Public Administration and Security: Due to cuts in budgets and safety management equipment necessary to prevent drugs, digital sex crimes, cyber gambling, etc., our police have failed to properly respond to crimes that violate people's livelihoods....]

The budget for supporting the return of majors was reduced by 93.1 billion won, the budget for supporting the national mental investment, which was pointed out as "Kim Gun-hee's budget", was reduced by 7.4 billion won, and the budget for the deep-sea gas field in the East Sea was only 800 million won left.

[Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong: The Ministry of Health and Welfare's budget is expected to be reduced by 165.5 billion won compared to the government's budget, adding to the difficulties of the vulnerable.]

The nuclear power plant-related budget was cut and the future growth engine research and development budget was reduced by 81.5 billion won.

In particular, the government's reserve funds were cut by 2.4 trillion won, half of the government's original plan, and the government's interest repayment budget was cut by 500 billion won.

The government said it is deeply regrettable that it is a budget bill that could neutralize trade risks and disaster responses and miss the golden time to secure industrial competitiveness ahead of the launch of a new U.S. government.

[Choi Sang-mok / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance: In 2019, a total of 2.7 trillion won in reserve funds was used during the year due to the need to develop technology for small managers in response to Japanese export regulations. However, next year, even if such urgent industrial trade changes occur, it will be difficult to respond in a timely manner.

The government urged the government to withdraw its single-handed reduction plan, which is unprecedented in constitutional history, and engage in sincere negotiations.

In response, the Democratic Party of Korea countered that it threatened the National Assembly's budget deliberation and passed on the government's responsibility to the National Assembly, saying that the lack of prosecution's pocket money paralyzes people's livelihoods.

I'm YTN's Lee Seung Eun.