[Full Text] "Asking the President"... Joo Ho-young's 10 Public Questions, Will Moon Respond?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 16th, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, issued a public inquiry demanding President Moon Jae-in, who visited the National Assembly for the opening speech, to clarify his position on 10 issues including the late Park Won-soon, former Mayor of Seoul’s sexual harassment allegations, the Yoon Mee-hyang scandal, and real estate.

Floor Leader Joo said, "When you were the leader of the Democratic Party, you said, 'A party that caused a by-election should not field a candidate.' Within the ruling party, there are even open talks about changing the party constitution as soon as the late Mayor Park’s funeral is over. As a responsible president, we hope you will take responsibility for your words and clarify whether you plan to request the ruling party to refrain from fielding candidates."

He also questioned, "Why has the president not mentioned the successive sexual crime cases involving your party’s metropolitan governors such as the late Mayor Park, former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don, and former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung?" He raised his voice, saying, "Please note that the silence of the president, who claimed to be a feminist, and the Democratic Party’s protection of their own side are increasing the disappointment and anger of women and the public."

Below is the full text of Floor Leader Joo’s press conference statement.

To President Moon Jae-in,

Despite your tireless efforts, the disorder in state affairs continues to surface in various places. The cooperation you promised seems distant, and policies are showing their limits. As you well know, the disorder in state affairs is directly passed on to the people, greatly hindering the stabilization of their livelihoods. Before the scheduled 21st National Assembly opening ceremony and your presidential policy speech today, I hereby publicly inquire about 10 major current issues in state affairs, and I ask you to clearly and explicitly state your position before the people.

First, on May 27, you met with floor leaders of both ruling and opposition parties and repeatedly emphasized cooperation with the opposition. However, despite this, over the past month, the Democratic Party has unilaterally elected the Speaker of the National Assembly, forcibly assigned opposition lawmakers to standing committees, seized the opposition’s chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, and unilaterally reviewed and passed supplementary budgets, pushing through unprecedented parliamentary dictatorship in constitutional history. Is this the cooperation you speak of? Do you think the current relationship between the ruling and opposition parties is desirable? Are you willing to request the Democratic Party to cooperate?

Second, you stated that attempts to deny the comfort women movement itself in the so-called ‘Yoon Mee-hyang scandal’ are wrong. However, it seems you misunderstood the essence of the issue. The public is not denying the significance or value of the comfort women movement. They want to verify the facts regarding allegations that large donations and public funds, supposedly for the comfort women grandmothers, were used for personal gain or that accounting books were manipulated. There are only 17 surviving victims now. We must not ignore their grievances. The prosecution has yet to summon Representative Yoon for investigation. Are you willing to personally step in to wipe the tears of the victims?

Third, both the number of unemployed and the unemployment rate have reached the highest levels since 1999. The government tries to attribute this to COVID-19, but experts point to the overall failure of income-led growth policies, including the rapid minimum wage increase, the unprepared introduction of the 52-hour workweek, purges of companies, and various regulations. All experts continuously point out the problems of these policies. Why do you insist on failed policies? Are you willing to change policies that have already been proven failures by statistical data?

Fourth, how long will you maintain the nuclear phase-out policy? While it is good that you sincerely support eco-friendly energy policies, energy policy is directly linked to national industrial development. You have mentioned the ‘Green New Deal,’ but does excluding and abandoning nuclear power, a highly efficient clean energy source, contradict the ‘Green New Deal’? How can the ‘Green New Deal’ be possible while giving up nuclear power as green energy? Please clarify.

Fifth, public dissatisfaction with the 22 real estate measures announced under this government is about to explode. The Moon Jae-in administration’s real estate policies have repeatedly failed due to their adverse effects. As the real estate policy fails, public dissatisfaction grows. Punitive taxation treating all homeowners as criminals is causing even tax resistance movements. Is the Moon administration capable of managing the real estate market? What is the real goal of the administration’s real estate policy? The median apartment price in Seoul has surged over 52%, and the dream of homeownership for ordinary people is becoming more distant. Is the goal of this government’s real estate policy to raise prices in Gangnam, known as ‘Gangnam’s invincibility,’ or to stabilize prices and improve housing for ordinary citizens? Also, are you willing to hold Minister Kim Hyun-mi of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport responsible for the policy failures? Please clarify directly before the people.

Sixth, do you still believe that Kim Jong-un will give up North Korea’s nuclear missiles? Is it right for the president to unilaterally pursue the most important national defense and security policies without public consent? Given the current tense and sensitive inter-Korean relations, please explain in detail the reasons behind your nomination of former lawmaker Park Jie-won as the head of the National Intelligence Service. Why did you appoint a candidate who maintains close ties with North Korea, a constitutionally anti-state and pro-North organization under the National Security Act, to lead the country’s top intelligence agency at the forefront of national security? Please also clarify your position on reports of consultations with North Korea.

Seventh, many citizens point out that you and your administration did not adequately honor the late General Paik Sun-yup, a Korean War hero. After much controversy, his burial at Seoul National Cemetery was canceled, and protests even blocked the hearse from entering the burial site. Peace and security are not different, so why does such division and conflict repeatedly occur in our society? As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War this year, a time to reflect on patriotism and security, how do you respond to criticisms that the late general was not properly honored?

Eighth, please clarify your position on Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae’s improper exercise of investigative authority. Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl was personally appointed by you as Seoul Central District Prosecutor and then as Prosecutor General. Yet, he is facing widespread resignation pressure from so-called pro-Moon figures around you. Why are you silent on this? If you think Prosecutor General Yoon is at fault, as the appointing authority, why don’t you dismiss him directly? Why do you allow Minister Choo to suppress the Prosecutor General and let Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Seung-yoon confront him? Please explain.

Furthermore, you have not appointed a special inspector who directly oversees the president’s surroundings for three years. Had the special inspector been appointed earlier, cases like the alleged cover-up of Yoo Jae-soo’s investigation or the Ulsan mayoral election manipulation might have been suppressed early or might not have occurred. Why have you left the special inspector position vacant for three years, an institution that monitors power around the president?

Ninth, why have you not mentioned the successive sexual crime cases involving your party’s metropolitan governors such as the late Mayor Park Won-soon, former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don, and former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung? Will you apologize to the people and take responsible measures? Please note that the silence of the president, who claimed to be a feminist, and the Democratic Party’s protection of their own side are increasing the disappointment and anger of women and the public.

Tenth, when you were the leader of the Democratic Party, you said, “A party that caused a by-election should not field a candidate.” The Democratic Party even has related regulations in Article 96, Paragraph 2 of its party constitution. The United Future Party actually refrained from fielding candidates for Daegu Seo-gu Mayor and Gangwon Goseong County Governor in the June 4, 2008 by-elections. Yet, within the ruling party, there are even open talks about changing the party constitution as soon as the late Mayor Park’s funeral is over. As a responsible ruling party and president, will you take responsibility for your words and request the ruling party to refrain from fielding candidates? Please clarify.

The people want to hear what you truly want to say, not unattainable rosy prospects or meaningless rhetoric. Not a feast of politically packaged words, but clear and straightforward answers to what the people genuinely want to hear and expect from you. Please respond clearly and decisively.