The two main parties partially resumed the budget review Thursday, but remained far off on key issues including the funding for state-run child care program.
The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy’s deputy floor leaders met and enabled the Security and Public Administration Committee to review the tobacco tax hike proposal. In addition, the two deputy leaders reaffirmed that the state will provide some support in funding the Nuri Curriculum, a free child care program for children aged between 3 and 5, which has held the two parties deadlocked since last month.
The ruling party holds that local education offices must bankroll the program, while the NPAD demands that the funding should come from the government budget.
With no real progress being made, the main opposition is said to be seeking alternatives to break the deadlock.
According to reports, the NPAD is considering suggesting a meeting with President Park Geun-hye to resolve the issue if progress is not made within the parliament.
Local news reports have cited an unnamed NPAD official as saying that the two parties’ leaders need to step in if the floor leaders cannot resolve the situation, and that if that failed to bring results a meeting with the president would be unavoidable.
NPAD’s interim leader Rep. Moon Hee-sang has also indicated that such measures may be the only solution.
“If no further progress is made in the National Assembly, then the only way is to talk to the (ruling party) chairman or to Cheong Wa Dae,” Moon said. But he expressed caution, saying that the parties’ leaders stepping in prematurely could hamper the situation further.
“It is time for me to wait and to act prudently. If that doesn’t work then, we (ruling and opposition leaders) will have to step in like in the Sewol issue.”
National Assembly Speaker Rep. Chung Ui-hwa, on his part, reiterated the need to pass the budget by the Dec. 2 deadline.
“Even if an agreement is not reached, this is a promise I made to the people. As the Constitution must be upheld, it (processing the budget on time) will be done,” Chung said at a meeting with key lawmakers on the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts.
Saying that the idea that the budget can be passed after the deadline appears to have taken hold in lawmakers, Chung added that this year should set a new precedent.
By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
