The Public Administration and Security Committee of the National Assembly processed the supplementary budget bill related to its jurisdiction on the 1st, increasing it by 2.9 trillion won from the government's proposal. The budget for the consumer coupon support project is to be fully borne by the central government.

The 2nd supplementary budget for this year is processed with bipartisan agreement at the subcommittee of the Public Administration and Security Committee. On June 30, Shin Jeong-hoon, the Chairperson of the Public Administration and Security Committee, is pounding the gavel at the full committee meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. /News1

On the same day, the committee held a general meeting and decided to increase the supplementary budget plan from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency by 2.9143 trillion won from the government's original proposal.

Specifically, it includes ▲ 2.9 trillion won for the consumer coupon program to revive livelihoods, ▲ 5.655 billion won for public emergency job support for residents affected by forest fires, and ▲ 3.1155 billion won for establishing a national violence trauma healing center. The budget for the National Fire Agency was approved as proposed.

Additionally, the government removed the clause from its proposal that would have required local governments to bear 10.3 trillion won and 2.9 trillion won for the consumer coupon issuance budget. The central government will now fully fund the consumer coupon issuance budget of 13.2 trillion won.

Chairperson Wi Seong-gon of the Budget and Settlement Fund Review Subcommittee noted in the report on the examination of the supplementary budget that, "The issuance support project for local love gift certificates incurs a financial burden on local governments, so measures must be actively devised to ensure local governments do not face difficulties in securing funds, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety should prioritize swiftly granting national funds for the consumer coupon program to local governments," attaching a total of 18 additional opinions.

Although the supplementary budget was processed through bipartisan agreement, the opposition once again raised questions about the effectiveness of the consumer coupon support.

People Power Party lawmaker Park Su-min said, "What we are doing is not a consensus process, but rather procedural cooperation," adding, "Even if we mobilize 10 trillion won in government debt to distribute consumer coupons, the effect of stimulating consumption will be limited to a short period. The support effect aimed at helping vulnerable small business owners will significantly decrease depending on consumer choices. Therefore, the economic benefit of mobilizing government debt is minimal."

Also from the same party, lawmaker Lee Seong-gwon said, "The consumption stimulation effect may end in a short period," stating, "There hasn't been sufficient reflection of alternatives to overcome this part's side effects, and the government needs to continuously ponder this issue."

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