Even Progressive Groups Offer Real Estate Lectures... People Power Party Studying Hard Online

Weekly Tuesdays since December 29 last year
Kim Heon-dong, Head of Kyungsilryeon, conducts real estate lectures
Next speaker scheduled: Captain Eom Hong-gil

People Power Party Floor Leader Joo Ho-young is giving a greeting at the 4th Ontact Policy Workshop held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 19th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] "The Moon Jae-in administration announced real estate measures 30 times, but instead of curbing house prices, how much have they risen in Gangnam? But look, from 2008 during former President Lee Myung-bak's term until 2014, house prices always declined. When conservative governments were in power, house prices were stable. How much do the lawmakers know about this?"

At the 4th People Power Party Ontact Policy Workshop held on the 19th, Kim Heon-dong, head of the Real Estate and Construction Reform Division at the Economic Justice Practice Democracy Union (Gyeongsilryeon), said this. It is unexpected for a progressive-leaning civic group official to give a real estate lecture to conservative party lawmakers. People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young emphasized, "We must listen to everything." In a phone interview with Asia Economy, Leader Joo said, "It's not just about asserting our claims; if there are faults in our policies, we need to listen," adding, "We also need to understand what perspectives and thoughts others have."

The People Power Party Ontact Policy Workshop is a policy caucus conducted online. It has been held every Tuesday since December 29 last year. Each session invites a guest speaker. At the first session, Professor Choi Jae-wook of Korea University’s Preventive Medicine Department gave a lecture on vaccine supply. The second session featured political consultant Park Sung-min, and the third session was conducted by Professor Emeritus Lee In-ho of Seoul National University under the theme "Finding the Lost Growth Engine."

The repeated lectures have received positive responses even among lawmakers. A first-term lawmaker said, "We can hear diverse opinions without being bound by conservative or right-wing perspectives," adding, "There are questions and opposing views on the lecture content, so we are learning a lot from each other."

Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the sessions are held online, resulting in high participation. Some lawmakers attend in the National Assembly, but others listen from their constituencies or even while commuting in their cars. The Webex platform is used for the meetings. The next Ontact Policy Workshop speaker on the 26th will be mountaineer Captain Eom Hong-gil, who will give a lecture titled "Cooperation, Indomitable Spirit."

People Power Party spokesperson Bae Jun-young said, "The speakers point out issues we need to review from a professional perspective," adding, "It is very helpful when proceeding with legislation and budgeting."