ⓒYONHAP News

The National Assembly's secretary general said Thursday that the Assembly will abolish all special activity funds excluding those related to core national interests.

In a press conference on Thursday, Yoo In-tae said that only the special activity funds allotted for 2018 that are connected to diplomacy, trade and security will be executed.

He said the remainder will be turned in, and that the 2019 budget will also be sharply reduced.

Lawmakers have decided to immediately suspend the execution of any expenses that don't meet the special activity funds' original objective or those the public may find unacceptable, such as meal costs and operational expenditure that was customarily provided to political parties and parliament committees.

The move came amid mounting criticism from the public about the lack of oversight of the special allowance for lawmakers, as no receipts were required to ensure the funds were spent properly.

A local civic group disclosed data in July showing the National Assembly provided ranking lawmakers, including party floor leaders, with up to 60 million won each month as special activity funds.

There have been growing calls to scrap the funds as they were spent without any oversight and with no requirement for submission of receipts.

This year, the budget on special activity funds for lawmakers is known to be set at some six billion won, which include funds to manage standing committees and to support parliamentary activity and diplomacy.

According to the civic group, a total of more than 320 billion won has been set aside as special activity funds in the government's budget for this year.

The National Assembly has set a preparation period through the end of the year after which it will accept the court ruling requesting the parliament to disclose all information related to the use of the controversial funds.