Anchor: President Lee Jae Myung called a surprise Cabinet meeting on Saturday to quickly approve the government's extra budget, totaling 31-point-eight trillion won, after it passed the National Assembly the night before despite strong protest from the main opposition.
Choi You Sun has the details.

Report: The Cabinet on Saturday approved the government's second extra budget worth 31-point-eight trillion won, or around 23 billion U.S. dollars, after it passed the National Assembly late Friday.

President Lee Jae Myung, who convened a rare weekend Cabinet meeting, called for a swift execution of the budget, saying it should serve as a lifeline for people facing economic hardship.

The budget plan, pushed toward parliamentary passage by the ruling Democratic Party(DP), was increased by one-point-three trillion won during the Assembly's review.

The main opposition People Power Party(PPP) boycotted the plenary vote, criticizing the 12-point-two trillion won for the administration's payouts to help cover the public's living expenses, saying it would further damage the nation's fiscal soundness.
 
The first round of these payouts is set to be distributed to all members of the public starting July 21.

The PPP also demanded the DP to apologize to the public for restoring ten-point-five billion won in special activity funds for state agencies, including the presidential office, after they were slashed by the DP last year when it was the main opposition.

Meanwhile, a clause was attached to the budget plan stating that the prosecution's special activity fund should be executed after reforms to the legislative process are complete, reflecting some concerns within the ruling party about reviving the funds prematurely.

The top office said it expects agencies that receive these funds to use them responsibly and to justify their spending.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.