120 billion won cut from budget

The National Assembly¡¯s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, opening its subcommittee Thursday, reached a broad agreement to pass the administration-proposed supplementary budget bill for the current year with a cut of about 120 billion won from the original bill balanced at 2.3898 trillion won.

The budget-accounts sub-panel was assured from the administration that the government would not implement budget projects prior to the parliamentary approval. The committee members also agreed to enact a special law governing financial viability.

During the committee session, Reps. Ahn Sang-Soo and Lee Jae-Oh of the opposition Grand National Party contended that many opposition lawmakers were indicted by the prosecution's biased investigations.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly plenary session approved a plan to conduct parliamentary inspection of a total of 357 government agencies and state-run organizations starting Oct. 19.

The plenary session also passed resolutions establishing special committees on inter-Korean relations progress, political reform, and the international sports games support.

In addition, the Assembly passed an approval bill for the appointment of nine special committee members to probe the causes of suspicious deaths.