[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, expressed his condolences on the 10th, saying, "I am very saddened by the tragic choice of the late Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul."
Floor leader Joo said at the floor leaders' meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, "I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families." Mayor Park, who left his official residence the previous day and lost contact, was found dead about seven hours after a missing person report was filed.
In this regard, floor leader Joo urged lawmakers, "This is a very serious situation in many ways. I earnestly ask our lawmakers to be mindful of their words and actions," effectively calling for discretion.
At the floor countermeasure meeting that day, suspicions regarding Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's investigation directive were also raised. Floor leader Joo said, "The contents of the Minister of Justice's investigation directive are official secrets, so it must be clarified how a draft leaked to Representative Choi Kang-wook of the Open Democratic Party." He pointed out, "According to Representative Choi, he copied a post by former Representative Choi Min-hee, so it must be clearly revealed how former Representative Choi obtained it."
He continued, "Reports say that the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office almost agreed to establish a special investigation headquarters and proceed, but it fell through. If so, this plan, which reflected the opinions of both the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution, was broken due to external intentions," adding, "Just as circumstances were found where prior directive contents were reported and coordinated with the Blue House, isn't it that this agreement was also broken by the Blue House?"
Policy Committee Chairman Lee Jong-bae criticized the government's real estate policy. He said, "The government is announcing its 22nd measure today, which includes raising the highest comprehensive real estate tax rate, but every time they announce, it disrupts the real estate market and causes adverse effects, so I am not even sure if it is right to call it a measure," adding, "The government thinks punitive taxation is a panacea, but the comprehensive tax increase only increases the pain of actual demanders, such as locking up listings, passing tax burdens onto monthly rents, or destabilizing jeonse and monthly rents." The United Future Party plans to launch a special committee on real estate measures that afternoon in relation to this.
He also said, "There is evidence that the Financial Supervisory Service effectively neglected the 'Optimus scandal,' which involved key figures of the ruling party and a 500 billion won fund fraud case," and criticized, "There are suspicions that the wife of lawyer Yoon, a director of Optimus, who worked at the Blue House Civil Affairs Office, influenced the Financial Supervisory Service's neglect. If so, they will not be able to escape criticism as accomplices in the Optimus scandal."
Floor Deputy Leader Kim Sung-won said, "The 'Working National Assembly Act' promoted by the Democratic Party is actually a stepping stone for legislative dictatorship," and stated, "The United Future Party will respond with law and principles against one-party dictatorship and totalitarian legislative dictatorship and will block legislative dictatorship."
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