Budget and Accounts Committee Reviews Non-Economic Ministries' Budgets for Second Day... Budget Bill Adjustment Subcommittee to Begin Next Week

As of Nov. 12, the National Assembly will have completed its ministry-by-ministry budget reviews and will begin operating the Budget Bill Adjustment Subcommittee next week to decide on increases and cuts to the 2027 budget bill and fund management plan. The ruling and opposition parties are expected to clash sharply in the subcommittee over increases and cuts to the budget and the Future Response Fund.

A review of next year's budget proposals for non-economic ministries is underway at a meeting of the National Assembly's Budget and Accounts Committee on the 11th. Nov. 11, 2026. Reporter Yoon Dongju

The National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts held a plenary meeting this morning to review the budgets of non-economic ministries. During reviews of economic ministries on Nov. 9 and 10, the main issue was whether the Future Response Fund was appropriate. In reviews of non-economic ministries that began the previous day, the parties continued to clash over current issues, including the special counsel bill on fabricated indictments and South Korea-U.S. relations.

With today’s review of non-economic ministries complete, the committee will finish its ministry-by-ministry budget reviews and begin operating the Budget Bill Adjustment Subcommittee on Nov. 16. The ruling and opposition parties appointed nine members from the Democratic Party of Korea, including Lee Kwang-jae, chair of the budget committee, Chung Tae-ho and Kim Kyo-heung, and six members from the People Power Party, including Na Kyung-won, Song Eon-seok and Yoo Sang-beom.

The committee will review whether to increase or cut funding for individual projects in the subcommittee through Nov. 20. If it fails to reach a conclusion, a small, informal negotiating group, known as the sub-subcommittee, is expected to convene to negotiate. It will include only a small number of participants: the budget committee chair, the ruling and opposition parties’ floor negotiation representatives, and a vice minister from the Ministry of Planning and Budget.

The ruling party plans to pass the budget bill by Dec. 2. However, a difficult path is expected, including over the special counsel bill on fabricated indictments. Han Byeong-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said today, “The opposition is blocking the budget review by focusing on unlimited debate inside the National Assembly and street protests outside it,” adding, “We will take responsibility and pass it by the statutory deadline.”

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