Kim Jong-in's Remark After Meeting Kang Ki-jung... "With 177 Seats, What Is There to Worry About?" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the Future United Party, emphasized on the 2nd during a meeting with Kang Ki-jung, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House, regarding the opening of the National Assembly, that "the ruling party with a large majority should adopt an inclusive attitude." He also expressed the view that economic recovery would be a major issue following the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the meeting with Senior Secretary Kang, who came to deliver congratulatory flowers from President Moon Jae-in, Kim Jong-in said, "If we proceed as per the practices followed over the past 30 years, there should be no problem."

Currently, the Democratic Party of Korea insists that the National Assembly must open by the 5th as stipulated by law, while the United Party holds the position that negotiations on the organization of the Assembly should come first. They are opposing the forced opening by demanding that the practice of organizing the Assembly first and then opening it, which has been followed for the past 30 years, be respected, and have stated they will not cooperate with the supplementary budget (추경) if the opening is forced.

On this day, Senior Secretary Kang requested regarding the third supplementary budget, "The first supplementary budget was executed at 90%, and the second almost 100%, so please make sure the third supplementary budget passes in June."

In response, Chairman Kim said, "I thought a considerable amount of funds must have been injected, so I assumed it would not be just around 10 to 20 trillion won. I will actively cooperate depending on how the third supplementary budget is structured," adding, "You need to open the National Assembly quickly."

This implies that the ruling party must come to the negotiation table for the opening to review the supplementary budget. Chairman Kim requested, "Please play a coordinating role so that the ruling and opposition parties can cooperate," and "Please do something to the ruling party so that negotiations proceed quickly."

Senior Secretary Kang replied, "The President is preparing to give an opening speech on the 5th," and added, "Please gather wisdom in the National Assembly."

At the subsequent informal meeting, Chairman Kim said, "After COVID-19 passes, economic recovery will become such an important issue that partisan disputes will no longer be necessary," and "If the government operates rationally, I will actively cooperate."

Regarding the organization of the Assembly, he said, "With a huge majority of 177 seats, what is there to worry about? The principle is to maintain the practices followed over the 30 years since democratization. It is good for both sides. We should not force anything that never existed."