Pre-budget spending censured

It has been revealed that many of the government`s agencies have practiced pre-budgetary spending prior to the approval of supplemental budget request, in particular, the Ministry of National Security along with various others including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Education and other governmental agencies. The revelation was met with fierce censure by the budget-finance committee which called their action a mockery of the system of budget approval.

During a Parliamentary session for the budget approval on the 20th, the opposition Grand National Party Rep. Kim Moon-Su revealed that the Ministry of National Security has already spent 20 billion of the 32 billion won supplemental budget requested for educational purposes. Of the 495 billion won sought for supplemental budget approval by 10 of the government`s agencies and ministries, 126 billion won (28.7%) have already been spent during the second-quarter, prior to the approval by the budget-finance committee.

As disputed by the opposition GNP Rep. Nah Oh-Yeoun and United Liberal Democrats Rep. Chung Woo-Taek concerning the budget cut for the public works which the regional autonomous departments, they called the action by the regional departments to seek a supplemental budget approval in the amount double the previous cut, bespeaks their action which makes laughing-stock of the budget approval system.

In response, the all of the Ministers including Cho Sung-Tae of the National Security, Moon Yong-Lin of the Education, Cha Hong-Bong of the Health and Welfare have apologized. However, concerning the legality of the actions of the ministries, the government source has stated that while such actions were inappropriate, it is not a criminal act requiring legal punishment.