Budget in Limbo as Parties Duel

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Budget in Limbo as Parties Duel

Partisan bickering is keeping lawmakers from deliberating on the 101 trillion won ($84 billion) government budget for fiscal year 2001.

The parliament, which opened for an extra session to get the budget passed, was originally slated to submit the budget to the main session Friday. But with the ruling and opposition camps sparring over partisan agendas, deliberation on the budget bill is expected to be postponed until next week.

The opposition Grand National Party is continuing to push for a reduction in the budget. It also wants to link four pieces of legislation related to financial sector reform to passage of the bill.

However, the ruling Millennium Democratic Party is not budging on either of the two demands.

The political fight over a proposed press-control report drafted by the opposition party and the alleged cover-up of last year's shooting death at the Blue House bogged down the proceedings.

The slowdown in the assembly has delayed review of the budget bill of 18 government ministries and agencies by the parliament's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, which is why the bill cannot be put forth at Friday's main session.

Lawmakers are expected to pass 40 bills Friday, including a special debt-relief package for farmers and fishermen.


by Kim Ji-soo

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