Choi Sang-mok said, "The growth rate is likely to be slightly below the potential growth rate next year...Exchange rate, domestic politics, strong dollar, half-and-half"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choi Sang-mok said the growth outlook for next year is inevitable due to a number of downside risks, but it is likely to be slightly below the potential growth rate.

Choi held a press conference at the press room in central-dong of the Sejong Government Complex and said that sentiment has been dampened by the recent political situation amid sluggish domestic demand, adding that it is not a crisis-level growth outlook, but a trend of expanding uncertainties.

As for the possibility of an extra budget in the first quarter of next year, he fully agrees with the government's recognition of the need for an active role, but reaffirmed his existing position that "early execution of the main budget" is a priority, saying that next year's budget will be implemented from January 1.

Regarding the won/dollar exchange rate level after the December 3 martial law incident, Deputy Prime Minister Choi said that the exchange rate level has risen a lot before and after the unfortunate incident, adding that about half of it has risen as a political event, and the other half is assessed as being due to the strong dollar.

Regarding the martial law document, which is known to contain the suspension of the National Assembly's operating expenses, he said he would not give an immediate answer, adding that he had searched all the secret records of the National Assembly and that the answer was made so that he could fully understand it.