[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Jong-in, the general election campaign committee chairman of the United Future Party, criticized the government's policy to provide 1 million won in livelihood support funds to households in the bottom 70% income bracket as a preemptive response to the economic crisis caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), calling it a "populist approach."
On the 30th, Kim appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and said, "I think they did not think about it carefully."
He said, "If you assume that the COVID-19 situation will end in a short time, you might not know, but if it seems like it will last long, you need to think deeply about how to continuously guarantee income for people without income," adding, "I doubt whether they properly thought in advance about what kind of results would be caused by giving 1 million won all at once in a populist manner right now."
He did not dismiss suspicions that it was an election-oriented, populist policy. He said, "Well, many local government heads have talked about basic income and such when facing the COVID-19 situation as an election strategy," and added, "Then, when U.S. President Trump secured about 2 trillion dollars to distribute to the people, I think they were greatly influenced by that and are doing similar things."
Kim had held a press conference at the National Assembly the day before, urging that about 100 trillion won, which is 20% of this year's budget, be redirected as resources to respond to the COVID-19 situation. He said, "It can be done as much as the government's will," and added, "If an emergency occurs in the country during budget allocation, it is always possible to cut about 20% of the budget to secure resources."
Regarding the previously proposed 40 trillion won scale government bond issuance by the United Future Party, he said, "If it doesn't work with the government budget, you can think of issuing government bonds to supplement the finances," and added, "Reusing the existing budget is the first priority."
Regarding the government's COVID-19 quarantine efforts, he said, "We are utilizing our current capabilities to the maximum extent possible," but added, "Evaluation is about doing what must be done, so what is there to evaluate? It is the government's obvious responsibility to do this when such a situation occurs, and if they think of it as a pride, it only seems like they want to use it for propaganda."
He said, "Our country's medical system has been well established so far, the quarantine system is already in place, medical workers are devotedly working hard, and the general public is cooperating, so the COVID-19 situation is being overcome," adding, "The government should do this when such a situation occurs; there is nothing to be proud of."
Kim stated that the theory of judging the current administration could work in this election and that the party aims to become the first party. He emphasized, "The operation of the country cannot be thought of only by the COVID-19 situation," and "Our people know everything about the government over the past three years, so that will have a decisive impact on the election."
He expressed confidence in the United Future Party becoming the first party in the National Assembly, asking rhetorically, "If we look back at 2016, who would have imagined that the Democratic Party would become the first party at that time?"
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