Defense ministry vows swift execution of undisbursed payments for 2025

▲ Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna briefs reporters, in this file photo from Dec. 16, 2025. (Yonhap)

defense ministry-budget

Defense ministry vows swift execution of undisbursed payments for 2025

SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry said Thursday it is working closely with the finance ministry to enable portions of the defense budget that were not disbursed by end-2025 to be executed as swiftly as possible.

The announcement came as controversy erupted over the defense ministry's failure to pay about 1.3 trillion won (US$899 million) in defense-related expenditures to military units and defense contractors by the end of last year.

Earlier in the day, a local news outlet reported that those unpaid funds included some 60.4 billion for service members' meals and clothing.

The defense ministry said some payments were not executed due to a temporary shortage of funds as demand for spending by government ministries was concentrated at the year-end.

"Portions of last year's expenditures were not partly settled, but this does not currently affect the provision of food, clothing and housing for service members," ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said at a press briefing.

"We will closely cooperate with the fiscal authorities to swiftly execute the undisbursed funds," she said.

The finance ministry said Tuesday the unspent funds from the defense budget for 2025 will be executed as quickly as possible within this week.

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved