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Gov't to front-load 393.8 trillion won in public spending in 1st half

Published: 13 Jan. 2026, 15:37

Acting Budget Minister Lim Ki-geun presides over an interagency fiscal execution review meeting on Jan. 13. [MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND BUDGET]

The Ministry of Planning and Budget said Tuesday that 393.8 trillion won ($267.2 billion) will be executed in the public sector in the first half of this year to support economic recovery.

The January-June execution plan represents an increase of 3.5 trillion won from the same period last year, according to the Budget Ministry.

"To firmly support economic recovery and proactively respond to external uncertainties, such as the impact of U.S. tariffs, the government needs to concentrate its fiscal execution capacity in the first half of the year," acting Budget Minister Lim Ki-geun said during an interagency fiscal execution review meeting.

Notably, more than 70 percent of the 34.5 trillion won allocated for key projects, including AI, and programs directly affecting small business owners and low-income households, is slated for execution in the first half.

The ministry explained that the execution target rate was set at around 60 percent, taking into account the 2026 economic outlook.

Yonhap