“Financial crisis passed on to the elderly”… Progressive Party opposes cuts to Jeonju City's senior citizen budget

The Jeonju City Regional Committee of the Progressive Party issued a statement on the 11th, urging, “Jeonju City should immediately withdraw its plan to cut the senior citizen job budget, which would shift the burden of the financial crisis onto the most vulnerable seniors.”

The regional committee pointed out, "As Jeonju City has cut next year's city budget by 4.712 billion won, it is in a position where it will be impossible to execute the total project cost of 15.6 billion won, including national and provincial budget matching," and added, "As a result, 2,823 jobs for seniors will disappear and 23 dedicated personnel will also be reduced."

He continued, "With the poverty rate of the elderly in our country being the highest in the world, jobs for the elderly go beyond simple income generation and are the minimum livelihood support and the Maginot Line of welfare that prevents isolation," and emphasized, "The more difficult the finances are, the more the livelihood budget of the socially disadvantaged must be protected as a top priority."

The Progressive Party demanded that Jeonju City restore the relevant budget in full and guarantee jobs for the elderly and stable employment of dedicated personnel, and warned that it would respond during the future city council budget review process.