Democratic Party: "Building Apartments on the National Assembly Site Is 'Construction Populism'"

On the 30th, two days before the legal deadline for the passage of next year's 560 trillion won budget bill, the National Assembly main building can be seen across the road with traffic flow on the street in front of the National Assembly. The ruling and opposition parties continue to have intense conflicts over the suspension of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and the passage of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency bill. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The Democratic Party of Korea criticized the claim by Yoon Hee-sook, a member of the People Power Party, to build apartments on the site of the National Assembly relocation as "reckless construction populism."

Lee Hae-sik, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's National Balanced Development and Administrative Capital Completion Promotion Team, said in a statement on the 3rd, "It is very positive that a member of the People Power Party, which has shown a lukewarm attitude toward the construction of the Sejong National Assembly building, has expressed a clearer opinion on the Sejong National Assembly building, and we welcome the idea of relocating the National Assembly."

He also demanded that Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, "clarify the official position of the People Power Party more specifically."

At the same time, Lee said, "Yoon's remarks came less than 10 hours after the National Assembly passed the next year's budget, which included 14.7 billion won for the design of the Sejong National Assembly building, agreed upon by both ruling and opposition parties yesterday," adding, "Drinking hastily can cause stomach upset even with cold water. While we understand the desire to claim policy ownership over the National Assembly relocation site, this is not the time to promote reckless construction populism by riding on the budget passage."

He continued, "The land after the National Assembly relocates belongs to the citizens of Seoul, and what fills it is also the responsibility of Seoul citizens. We only hope that visions such as becoming a global international financial and economic capital, a forward base for the 4th Industrial Revolution, and a world historical and cultural capital will not be buried under shortsighted real estate speculation."

Lee also urged the People Power Party to "form a ‘Special Committee on National Balanced Development’ within the National Assembly to discuss not only the construction of the Sejong National Assembly building but also the second phase of public institution relocations to local areas, the mega-city concept for super metropolitan areas, and survival strategies for rural fishing villages facing population extinction. Aren't these issues urgent? We expect an early decision from the People Power Party."