South Korea’s National Assembly is weighing an increase in the Future Response Fund’s local future growth support payments as it reviews the 2027 budget and fund-management plans. The issue has gained urgency after a new formula changed how the statutory 19.24% local-grant rate is applied, producing about 71.2 trillion won from next year’s 528.4 trillion-won domestic-tax base, compared with about 101.7 trillion won under the previous calculation. The resulting 30.5 trillion-won gap has intensified pressure from local governments, even though total local grants are budgeted at 77.2 trillion won, up 7.8 trillion won from this year. The fund is planned at 162.3 trillion won, including a 15.3 trillion-won local account. After 5 trillion won in reserves, 10.3 trillion won is available for projects, including 3.5 trillion won in discretionary local future growth support payments. Ruling-party support for expanding that program is reportedly substantial, and an increase could provide more local funding without changing the fund’s basic formula. About 80% of the 50-member Budget and Accounts Committee represent districts receiving ordinary local grants, while 72.7% of the 22-member Finance, Economy and Planning Committee do so. The government has not formally committed to an expansion. A separate fire-service program remains possible but would require a new fund program and has drawn caution within the ruling party. Critics argue that using the fund to compensate for reduced local grants would conflict with its stated purpose of reserving temporarily higher tax revenue for future growth and weaker fiscal conditions.