The ruling and opposition parties will meet on the morning of the 29th to process the second supplementary budget for this year.
The meeting, held in the Speaker's Office, will be attended by Chairman Park Byeong-seok, floor leaders of both parties, senior vice-president of the floor, secretary of the Special Budget and Settlement Committee, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Chu Kyeong-ho.
As the term of Chairman Park, who served as the chairman of the first half of the 21st National Assembly, ends today, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to focus on narrowing the differences of opinion over major issues in order to handle the supplementary budget bill.
A key issue is the retroactive application of compensation for corona losses to self-employed and small business owners.
The People's Power and the government are of the position that the payment of compensation for losses of up to 10 million won contained in this supplementary budget is equivalent to retroactive application.
On the other hand, the Democratic Party is sticking to the argument that the budget for retroactive application of compensation for corona losses worth 8 trillion won should be reflected.
If a dramatic agreement is reached in the morning meeting, the ruling and opposition parties plan to hold a plenary session this evening to deal with the supplementary budget bill.
The ruling and opposition parties have tentatively agreed to hold a plenary session at 7:30 p.m.
If the consultation is delayed, the time of the plenary session may be delayed accordingly.
(Photo = National Assembly Photo Reporters, Yonhap News)