Kim Dong-yeon: "Ministry of Interior's 'Regional Currency Budget Distribution Standards' Deviate from Fairness and Common Sense"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon has spoken out criticizing the fairness of regional currency budget allocations.

Governor Kim posted via SNS, "The 'Regional Currency Support Budget Distribution Standards' announced by the Ministry of Interior is, in short, content that deviates from fairness and common sense. The policy goals of regional currency are 'support for self-employed and small business owners' and 'revitalization of local economies.' Allocation should be done in a way that supports more ordinary people, small business owners, and self-employed individuals," he argued.

He continued, "According to the differential allocation standards, Gyeonggi Province's regional currency national budget support will be cut by nearly 100 billion won, which is 'half of half' compared to last year. This means that only less than 10% of the budget is being provided to 1.86 million small business owners in Gyeonggi Province, who account for over 25% of all small business owners nationwide."

Governor Kim stated, "We must not strip away the minimum safety net from small business owners in the Gyeonggi region who are already facing difficulties. The Yoon Suk-yeol government must absolutely reconsider this unreasonable and unfair decision."

The following is the full text of Governor Kim Dong-yeon's SNS post.

<Regional Currency Budgets Must Be Allocated Fairly>

Today, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday break, I visited Yongin Central Market.

Everyone says the economy is difficult. For these people, regional currency is already a verified minimum safety net.

The government completely eliminated the 705 billion won regional currency budget. Only half of that, 352.5 billion won, barely survived thanks to the Democratic Party's demands.

However, the 'Regional Currency Support Budget Distribution Standards' announced by the Ministry of Interior recently is, in short, content that deviates from fairness and common sense.

They say regional currency budgets will be differentially allocated based on each local government's fiscal conditions and population status. The policy goals of regional currency are 'support for self-employed and small business owners' and 'revitalization of local economies.' Allocation should be done in a way that supports more ordinary people, small business owners, and self-employed individuals.

According to the differential allocation standards, Gyeonggi Province's regional currency national budget support will be reduced by nearly 100 billion won, which is 'half of half' compared to last year. This means only less than 10% of the budget is being provided to 1.86 million small business owners in Gyeonggi Province, who account for over 25% of all small business owners nationwide.

We must not strip away the minimum safety net from small business owners in the Gyeonggi region who are already facing difficulties. The Yoon Suk-yeol government must absolutely reconsider this unreasonable and unfair decision.