Party and government "2 trillion won in financial support for firefighting...Use of future response fund to be decided later" (comprehensive)

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Pyeong-cheon and Ahn Jeong-hoon = The Democratic Party of Korea, the government, and the Blue House decided to review a plan for the central government to provide financial support of 2 trillion won to local governments for urgent and necessary investments related to firefighting and to expand additional firefighting finances.

On the 8th, the party and government held a high-level party-government consultation meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul to discuss ways to ease the financial burden of local government firefighting, Park Seong-joon, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a briefing at the National Assembly.

Currently, the national fire budget accounts for only around 10%. Although the status of firefighters was converted to a national position in 2020, local governments are bearing a significant portion of the firefighting budget.

The party and government also decided to reflect the necessary budget for fire suppression equipment, training facilities, and expansion of fire-fighting specialized medical systems in the budget deliberation process.

Chief Spokesperson Park explained, "During the National Assembly review of the budget plan, we decided to finalize the specific scale of support through close consultation between the party and government." He added, "The party and government agreed on the need for more fundamental expansion of local finances, such as the phased transfer of national taxes to local taxes and office redistribution, and reactivated the government-wide fiscal decentralization task force to quickly continue discussions."

Considering local financial difficulties, the party and government also discussed ways to expand the amount of available financial resources for local governments next year by utilizing this year's excess tax revenue.

Specifically, they discussed options such as investing the firefighting budget of the Future Response Fund, which is scheduled to be newly established using excess tax revenue next year, and converting the local education tax for the tobacco consumption tax, which is set to expire at the end of this year, to the local resource facility tax for the firefighting portion.

When asked whether the expansion of firefighting finances, such as the 2 trillion won support, utilizes the future response fund or the general accounting budget, Chief Spokesperson Park responded, "There was discussion (at the meeting), and it was decided to decide later."

Chief Spokesperson Park said, "The party said it would be better to convert the entire local education tax and invest the entire amount (in firefighting finances), but the government had a different opinion. We will discuss it."

Previously, Minister of Public Administration and Security Yun Ho-jung expressed his position regarding the issue of firefighting finance shortage due to the decrease in fire safety grant tax, saying, "I hope that the urgent lack of firefighting resources will be covered by expenses supported from the local account of the Future Response Fund."

Senior Spokesperson Park explained, “We will prepare firefighting support resources up to plus alpha and plus beta of financial support of 2 trillion won,” and “conversion of local education tax (firefighting budget) is plus beta.”

Regarding whether the 2 trillion won financial support will be reflected in next year's budget review process, he said, "I think that's what it means," and added, "We decided to discuss it a little more at the government-wide task force."

Discussions on expanding national firefighting finances began in earnest following the controversy over Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, a member of the Democratic Party,'s remark about 'firefighting finances being a straw' and the death of the late Fire Commissioner Kim Jin-seok, who was deployed in a fire at a factory in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

In addition, the party and government announced that at the meeting, they also discussed natural disaster response plans to protect the lives and safety of the people from cold waves and heavy snow this winter.

Chief Spokesperson Park said, “The government reported that it plans to pursue customized measures for each class, focusing on protecting the health of the vulnerable,” and added, “We decided to work closely together to ensure that follow-up measures can be implemented without setbacks.”

The meeting was attended by Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok, floor leader Han Byeong-do, Secretary-General Han Jeong-ae, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, and Presidential Chief of Staff Lim Gwang-hyeon.