South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties have met the government’s plan to provide one-off coronavirus relief payments to the public with a mixed response.

The ruling Democratic Party(DP) on Monday welcomed the announcement on disaster relief money for households and promised to speed up parliamentary procedures to swiftly pass the prospective extra budget that will help finance the plan.

DP Spokesman Kang Hoon-sik said the handouts will offer people “strength and solace.” 

The spokesman for the main opposition United Future Party, Jeong Yeon-guk, also acknowledged the need and legitimacy of state assistance in crisis situations, but called the government’s latest relief package irresponsible, given the state’s fiscal situation.  

Jeong called it a stopgap measure and argued that the Moon Jae-in administration only rolled out the plan in a bid to help the ruling party win the upcoming general elections.

Minor progressive Justice Party Spokeswoman Cho Sung-sil embraced the relief plan as a “fortunate” decision that comes at the right time but still falls short. She called on the government to pay everyone one million won, not just each household in the bottom 70 percent income group.