Exclusive "PPP Votes Against" vs "Democratic Party Requests Only 1 Billion Won"…'Spoon Fight' Over Restored Daycare Budget

"Did you see? Out of 167 Gyeonggi Province councilors, not a single Power the People councilor supported us."

After a 2.7 billion won budget for daycare center support in Gyeonggi Province passed the provincial council after much difficulty, tensions have now erupted between the Democratic Party and Power the People over who deserves credit for the budget restoration.

According to the Gyeonggi Province Council on the 12th, the council passed a revised second supplementary budget bill on this day at the plenary session of its 394th extraordinary session, restoring 2.16 billion won in livelihood budgets, including 270 million won in childcare-related budgets for daycare center operations support and improvement of teachers' treatment. The bill passed with 108 votes in favor, 20 against, and 7 abstentions among 135 councilors present.

The controversy erupted immediately after the plenary session ended.

Democratic Party Provincial Councilor Jang Kyung-im (at-large) visited the chairperson and members of the Gyeonggi Province Daycare Center Association who were observing after the plenary session and stated that not a single Power the People councilor voted in favor of passing the budget, explaining that "137 out of 144 Democratic Party councilors raised their hands (at the Democratic Party caucus before the plenary session) to make this happen."

Power the People is responding in opposition. They argue that they did not oppose the daycare center budget restoration, but rather voted against the supplementary budget because the Democratic Party unilaterally reduced the total size of livelihood budgets that both parties had agreed upon.

In particular, Power the People claims that the 270 million won daycare center budget was actually their original proposal.

Power the People Councilor Kim Sun-hee (Yongin District 6) stated, "We did not oppose the 270 million won daycare budget, but rather opposed the reduction of the 4.29 billion won livelihood budget restoration that both parties agreed to down to the 2 billion won range."

Yun Chung-sik, vice chairman of the Budget and Settlement Special Committee of the same party, also claimed that "the Democratic Party initially wanted to restore only 1 billion won, but Power the People proposed restoring all 2.7 billion won."

Earlier, the Budget and Settlement Special Committee of the provincial council had reached an agreement to pursue restoration of livelihood budgets of 4.29 billion won. However, after last-minute negotiations between the Democratic Party representatives and the provincial government on this day, the restoration size was reduced to the 2 billion won range, prompting immediate opposition from Power the People.

The 270 million won daycare center support budget was included in the 4.29 billion won package agreed upon by both parties, but was absent from the 2.02 billion won package proposed by the provincial government during the negotiation process on this day, and was eventually reflected after afternoon negotiations, according to reports.

Baek Seung-ki, chairman of the Budget and Settlement Special Committee of the Democratic Party, stated, "The day before, I received notice from representative An Gwang-ryul that 4.29 billion won was finalized as the final plan by adding the 270 million won daycare budget to the existing 4.02 billion won," adding "the 202 million won proposed by the provincial government today did not include the daycare center budget, and I understand it was reflected in the subsequent final consultation process."

Regarding the controversial remarks in question, Councilor Jang stated, "The intent (of the remarks) was that even without the 22 votes from Power the People councilors, (the 270 million won daycare budget restoration) could have been possible with just our Democratic Party councilors' votes," explaining "I am very grateful that Power the People councilors came and cheered us on during the process, but I was saddened that it appeared as though the final budget approval was made by Power the People at the end."

She continued, "I even heard that when the daycare budget was set, all other budgets were cut," adding "I believe that all councilors, whether from the ruling or opposition party, worked together to preserve the early childhood budget."