seoul: President Yoon Suk Yeol called Monday for bipartisan cooperation to push through major reforms for people’s livelihoods and strengthen defense against growing security threats posed by North Korea’s military cooperation with Russia. In the parliamentary address read by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Yoon outlined the details of next year’s budget of 677.4 trillion won (US$509.7 billion), a 3.2 percent increase from the previous year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon stated that the budget proposal prioritizes the government’s reform agenda in health care, pension, labor, and education to address challenges posed by a low birth rate and an aging population. He emphasized that the reforms are critical tasks that must be undertaken immediately for the nation’s survival. The government is committed to completing these reforms despite any challenges.

It marked the first time in 11 years that a sitting president has opted not to deliver the budget speech personally. Yoon highlighted projects aimed at bo
osting the low birth rate and requested parliamentary support for creating the Ministry of Population Strategy, a proposed control tower to manage the demographic crisis. He urged the National Assembly to pass the necessary legislation, including the Government Organization Act, to launch the Ministry of Population Strategy promptly.

Yoon also addressed growing security concerns due to North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia and emphasized the need to strengthen defense and security. He stated that the international security situation and the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia pose a serious threat to national security. The government plans to review all possible scenarios to prepare effective countermeasures.

The statutory budget deadline is December 2, though the National Assembly has only met this deadline twice in the past two decades, in 2015 and 2021.