Parliament passes 284.5 tln won budget for 2009

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly passed on Saturday morning a
284.5 trillion won (US$206.8 billion) budget bill for 2009 despite strong
resistance from the main opposition party.

Legislators from the ruling Grand National Party and two minority parties voted
for the bill, while lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party
boycotted the vote in a show of defiance.
The bill's passage marks the first time since 2005 that parliament has approved
the budget with the main opposition party lawmakers absent.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
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