President Moon Jae-in tells lays out his budget proposal to lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul.
(Photo: Yonhap)
President Moon Jae-in says South Korea will start to gradually return to normal life next month as the rate of those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has surpassed 70 percent.
The key milestone was achieved over the weekend.
In his budget speech to the National Assembly on Monday, Moon said some antivirus curbs, including the mask mandate, will remain in place to slow the spread of the virus.
The president described the envisioned return to pre-pandemic activities as a "threshold of hope" and pledged to provide support for small merchants hit hard by COVID-19.
Moon said the budget proposal for next year is aimed at helping the nation move beyond the era of crises.
The government has proposed a record high spending plan of 604.4 trillion won as it strives for economic recovery.
On North Korea, Moon vowed to push for "dialogue and diplomacy" to achieve peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
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