Opposition cuts investigative agency funds but spares National Assembly

[Anchor]

The opposition party has eliminated all special activity funds and specific operational expenses that the presidential office, prosecution, and police would use while revising the budget proposal.

However, the funds for the National Assembly remain unchanged.

The ruling party questioned whether the police or the National Assembly needed the special activity funds more.

Reporter Kim Seong-joo has the details.

[Report]

Special activity funds are used for confidential information and case investigations, while specific operational expenses are funds used by staff for investigations or inquiries.

The Democratic Party completely cut the special activity funds and specific operational expenses for the presidential office and prosecution, claiming that the usage details were not substantiated during last week's budget committee meeting, while the People Power Party criticized this as retaliation against the judicial risk of DP leader Lee Jae-myung.

However, despite the complete cuts to the investigation agencies, it has been revealed that the National Assembly's share of special activity funds and specific operational expenses, amounting to over 19.5 billion won, passed through the budget committee unchanged, leading to controversy.

The People Power Party had demanded a complete cut of the National Assembly's special activity funds but stated that it was not accepted, accusing the Democratic Party of showing no interest in the collapse of people's livelihoods.

[Han Dong-hoon/People Power Party Leader: "If I had to choose (between the National Assembly's special activity funds and the police's special activity funds), I believe most citizens would choose the police's special activity funds for maintaining public safety. However, the Democratic Party's choice is the exact opposite."]

The Democratic Party responded that the National Assembly's special activity funds were originally in the 10 billion won range but were reduced by over 90% due to the past misuse incident involving Hong Joon-pyo, the mayor of Daegu from the People Power Party, and that only the minimum budget has been allocated.

[Heo Yeong/Opposition Party Secretary of the National Assembly Budget Committee/Dec. 2/MBC Radio 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus': "The head of a metropolitan government misused special activity funds for personal use, (brought it home, you're referring to Mayor Hong Joon-pyo of Daegu?) Yes, yes."]

With the unprecedented unilateral budget cut by the opposition party and the issue of cutting the National Assembly's special activity funds added, the power struggle between the ruling and opposition parties surrounding next year's budget is becoming increasingly complex.

KBS News, Kim Seong-joo.