Ruling party to submit revised budget bill for endorsement Thursday

SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) said Wednesday
it will submit a revised 2010 budget bill to the National Assembly for approval
on Thursday, a day before the new year begins.
Still, it's uncertain whether the nation's single-chamber parliament can pass the
293 trillion won (US$251.9 billion) budget before the year-end deadline amid an
impasse between ruling and opposition lawmakers over a spending plan to refurbish
the nation's four big rivers.
Rep. Kim Gwang-lim of the GNP, who is a ranking member of the parliament's
special committee on the budget, said his party increased the 2010 budget by
about 1 trillion won for welfare.
"We will submit the revised budget bill tomorrow," Kim told reporters.
As the ruling party was set to submit the budget bill despite little progress in
talks with the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) over the four river plan,
the likelihood of a scuffle among lawmakers is looming.
In a 2007 campaign pledge, President Lee Myung-bak proposed building a network of
canals across the country stretching 3,100 kilometers that supporters say would
help reinvigorate the economy, while opponents argue it would only wreak havoc on
the environment.
Lee said last year he would not push the canal project unless there is public
consensus for it, but many critics believe the plan to refurbish the four major
rivers will eventually be related to the nationwide canal project.
Earlier in the day, President Lee reaffirmed that he won't pursue the nationwide
canal project during his term.
The GNP has 169 seats in the 299-member National Assembly, followed by the DP
with 87 seats. Other minor parties have the remaining 42 seats.
(END)