정부, 7조 8천억원 규모의 4차 추경 편성키로<br /><br />We start with a big day in domestic politics.<br />The South Korean government has finalized plans for the fourth extra budget of the year to help cushion the fallout from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.<br />The 6-and-a-half billion U.S. dollar budget will be used to provide support for the hardest hit industries and people.<br />For more, we're joined on the line by our presidential correspondent Kim Min-ji.<br />Min-ji, give us the details.<br />The government's fourth extra budget has been set at 7-point-8 trillion won,... or roughly 6-point-6 billion U.S. dollars.<br />President Moon Jae-in unveiled the specifics during a session of the government's emergency economic council this morning.<br />The budget will be used to finance measures that provide tailored support focused on the vulnerable, including the unemployed, young people, freelancers, those on low-incomes, merchants and the self-employed.<br />It will be financed through the issuance of state bonds.<br />It's the first time in almost six decades that the government has drawn up four extra budgets in one fiscal year.<br />The government hopes this budget can be implemented before the Chuseok holiday, which begins in late September this year.<br />The prolonged pandemic has without a doubt taken a toll on the economy and people's livelihoods. Minji, what are the measures that the government plans to implement with this budget?<br />Well, Mark, breaking it down,... about half of it will be used to provide support for the self-employed and merchants that have been hit due to the resurgence of COVID-19.<br />That'll include cash payments of up to about 17-hundred U.S. dollars,... for some 2-point-9 million people.<br />And about 1 billion dollars will be used for employment stabilization funds... to maintain over one million vulnerable jobs,... such as freelancers and temporary workers.<br />Some 880-thousand people will benefit from this measure.<br />The government will also be using part of the budget to ease the burden of childcare on families.<br />It will extend childcare vacation periods,... as well as increase the number of households eligible for childcare allowances.<br />The extra budget will also be used to give South Koreans aged 13 and over a one-off discount of 20-thousand won, or about 17 U.S. dollars, off their phone bills to provide some consolation to people enduring the pandemic.<br />President Moon noted that the support may not be enough for those worst affected,... but stressed that the choices made aim to "maximize the effects" of the limited budget.<br />Back to you, Mark.<br />
