Seoul’s mixed messaging on supplementary budget highlights internal debate over abandoning fiscal conservatism
The presidential office on Friday sent conflicting signals about a potential shift in President Yoon Suk-yeol's signature fiscal conservatism, with one senior official telling Yonhap News Agency that the administration was open to a supplementary budget to address growing economic polarization. However, hours after the news broke, another presidential official contradicted this position, stating that no supplementary budget was currently under consideration.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) further complicated matters by stating it had not been consulted about any supplementary budget plans, highlighting apparent coordination gaps between the party and the presidential office. This is also a particularly sensitive issue timing-wise, as the 2025 budget review is still ongoing at the National Assembly. If confirmed, the consideration of a supplementary budget would represent a significant departure from Yoon's earlier stance, which strongly criticized the previous progressive administration's frequent use of supplementary budgets as excessive intervention.
The presidential office on Friday sent conflicting signals about a potential shift in President Yoon Suk-yeol's signature fiscal conservatism, with one senior official telling Yonhap News Agency that the administration was open to a supplementary budget to address growing economic polarization. However, hours after the news broke, another presidential official contradicted this position, stating that no supplementary budget was currently under consideration.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) further complicated matters by stating it had not been consulted about any supplementary budget plans, highlighting apparent coordination gaps between the party and the presidential office. This is also a particularly sensitive issue timing-wise, as the 2025 budget review is still ongoing at the National Assembly. If confirmed, the consideration of a supplementary budget would represent a significant departure from Yoon's earlier stance, which strongly criticized the previous progressive administration's frequent use of supplementary budgets as excessive intervention.
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