SEOUL - SOUTH Korea's ruling party pushed next year's budget through parliament on Saturday despite an opposition boycott, officials said.

Legislators from the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) and two minor parties approved the 284.5 trillion won (S$308.4 billion) budget for 2009, they said.

'Next year's budget bill passed through the National Assembly,' said Mr Lee Dong Kwan, spokesman for the presidential Blue House.

'With the budget granted by the parliament, the government will overcome the unprecedented economic crisis at an early date,' he said.

He said the government would do its best to help create jobs and bolster the country's ailing small and medium-sized businesses.

President Lee Myung Bak will preside over a meeting of economic ministers on Sunday to discuss the economic crisis, he said.

The opposition party has opposed the bill, calling for an increase in spending for low income earners and a cut in some engineering projects.

The budget, up 10.6 per cent from this year's estimated 257.2 trillion won, is aimed at boosting the economy in the face of a global financial crisis, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said. -- AFP