Park Hong-geun, emphasizing the need to formulate a supplementary budget to improve energy and employment

Candidate Park Hong-geun, the head of the Planning Budget Office, emphasized at the parliamentary personnel hearing that, given the urgent economic situation, it is necessary to prepare an additional supplementary budget as soon as possible. He specifically proposed prioritizing energy supply chain stability and youth unemployment countermeasures as the top issues.

Candidate Park suggested that the core purpose of the additional supplementary budget should be to restore the economy by stabilizing the energy supply chain. The main goals include diversifying supply chains and building oil reserves, with expected financial support to mitigate the impact of Middle Eastern tensions on global supply chains.

Additionally, he highlighted policy efforts to address youth unemployment. The supplementary budget should include employment reinforcement programs targeting “resting” youth, aiming to encourage young people to actively re-engage in economic activities.

The opposition party criticized whether this supplementary budget was “election money,” but Candidate Park rebutted this by citing urgent economic necessity. Regarding concerns over rising prices, he also emphasized that, based on forecasts from the Bank of Korea and research institutions, the likelihood of inflation is low.

The economic policies to be implemented through this supplementary budget are expected to focus on resolving energy and youth employment issues, which could reduce market uncertainty and stimulate economic vitality.