Presidential office hints at possible shift on supplementary budget, but no review yet

[Anchor]

The presidential office, which has been negative about supplementary budgets, has made remarks that suggest a possibility of a supplementary budget.

This has led to interpretations that it may change its stance on sound fiscal policy.

For now, the presidential office, government, and ruling party have all stated that they have not reviewed a supplementary budget.

Reporter Jeong Sae-bae has the story.

[Report]

The Yoon Suk Yeol government prepared a supplementary budget shortly after taking office to compensate for COVID-19 losses.

However, since then, it has consistently drawn the line against the opposition's demands for a supplementary budget, emphasizing a 'sound fiscal' policy.

However, as the term reaches its midpoint, the possibility of a change in the fiscal stance for the second half of the term is being sensed.

Amid ongoing economic sluggishness, there have been mentions from the presidential office that it will not exclude an active role of fiscal policy to address polarization, which is a key task in the latter half of the term.

The presidential office, however, clarified that it has not reviewed or decided on a supplementary budget yet, distancing itself from reports suggesting that it could start working on a supplementary budget early next year.

The ruling party and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which is the relevant department, have taken a more cautious stance, seemingly aware of the budget review situation.

They stated that discussions related to the budget for addressing polarization have been misinterpreted, and that they have not reviewed a supplementary budget at this point, nor is it appropriate to mention it.

[Han Dong-hoon/Leader of the People Power Party: "If we follow the law, the budget should be decided within a few days, right? Then discussing a supplementary budget at this point would only cause confusion."]

As signs of controversy began to spread, the presidential office stated that it was a general comment and that the sound fiscal policy will be maintained.

This is KBS News, Jeong Sae-bae.