Exclusive "People Power opposes vote" vs "Democrats only 1 billion won"…Battle over restored daycare budget

"Did you see? Out of 167 Gyeonggi Province councilors, not a single People Power member supported it"

After a 2.7 billion won daycare support budget for Gyeonggi Province passed through the provincial council after a series of twists and turns, a nerve war has now broken out between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party over the credit for budget restoration.

According to the Gyeonggi Province Council on the 12th, the provincial council passed a revised second supplementary budget bill on this day during the 394th regular session plenary meeting, restoring 2.16 billion won in livelihood budgets including 270 million won in childcare-related budgets for daycare operation support and improvement of teachers' treatment. It passed with 108 votes in favor, 20 against, and 7 abstentions out of 135 attending councilors.

The controversy erupted immediately after the plenary meeting ended.

Democratic Party Gyeonggi Province Councilor Jang Kyung-im (at-large) visited members of the Gyeonggi Province Childcare Center Association who were observing the plenary meeting, stating that not a single People Power member voted in favor of passing the budget, and explained that "(in the Democratic Party general meeting prior to the plenary) 137 out of 144 Democratic Party members raised their hands to make this happen."

The People Power Party is objecting to this. They argue they did not oppose the daycare budget restoration, but rather cast opposing votes on the supplementary budget because the Democratic Party unilaterally reduced the overall size of the livelihood budget restoration that both parties had agreed upon.

In particular, the People Power Party claims the 270 million won daycare budget was actually their original proposal.

People Power Councilor Kim Sun-hee (Yongin District 6) said, "We did not oppose the 270 million won daycare budget, but rather opposed the reduction of the 4.29 billion won livelihood budget restoration size that both parties had agreed upon to the 200 billion won range."

Yoon Chung-sik, vice chairman of the Budget and Settlement Special Committee of the same party, also argued, "The Democratic Party initially said they wanted to preserve only 100 million won, but the People Power Party has been proposing to preserve all 270 million won."

Earlier, the provincial council's Budget and Settlement Special Committee agreed to proceed with restoration of a 4.29 billion won livelihood budget between both parties. However, after last-minute negotiations between the Democratic Party delegation and the provincial government on this day, the restoration amount was reduced to the 200 billion won range, prompting the People Power Party to immediately object.

The 270 million won daycare support budget was included in the 4.29 billion won plan that both parties had agreed upon, but was missing from the 2.02 billion won plan presented by the executive branch during negotiation on this day, and was reportedly reflected in the final amount after afternoon negotiations.

Baek Seung-gi, chairman of the Budget and Settlement Special Committee of the Democratic Party, said, "The day before, Representative An Gwang-yul informed me that the final plan was confirmed at 4.29 billion won by adding the 270 million won daycare budget to the existing 4.02 billion won," and added, "The 2.02 billion won presented by the executive branch today did not include the daycare budget, and I understand it was reflected in the subsequent final consultation process."

Regarding the controversial statement, Councilor Jang said, "(the intent of that statement was) that even without the 22 votes from People Power councilors, it could have been possible with just the votes of our Democratic Party members (to restore the 270 million won daycare budget)," and added, "I am very grateful that People Power members came to show support during the meeting, but I was sorry at the end because it appeared as if the People Power Party was the one who ultimately approved the final budget."

Then "I even heard that when they set up the daycare budget, all other budgets were cut", and "I think all councilors, whether ruling or opposition party, worked together to preserve the budget for infants and young children".