Democratic Party First-Term Lawmakers "Best Effort to Pass Retroactive COVID Compensation Law Within This Month"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] First-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea have expressed their position that COVID-19 loss compensation should be applied retroactively.

On the 14th, 26 lawmakers including Min Byeong-deok of the Democratic Party issued a statement saying, "Several Democratic Party lawmakers have proposed bills to retroactively compensate the public for business losses," adding, "However, we faltered before the Ministry of Economy and Finance's claims about national finances and made the mistake of letting the golden time slip away. We wandered as if unaware of the harsh realities on the ground," expressing regret.

They continued, "We will strive to ensure that loss compensation is retroactively applied to small business owners and self-employed individuals who suffered losses due to gathering bans and business restrictions. We will do our best to have the related bills passed within this month in consultation with the newly formed party leadership."

"Although late, we will pull ourselves together, stay close to the field, and take care of reform and people's livelihoods simultaneously," they said. The lawmakers reflected, "We regret our insufficient actions to protect small business owners, self-employed individuals, cultural artists, students, parents, the elderly, those who lost jobs, especially young part-time workers, who are fighting for survival amid the COVID-19 disaster."

They also stated, "We will once again engrave in our hearts that promptly compensating the actual losses of the common people who complied with the state's orders and made special sacrifices for public safety in preventing infectious diseases is the constitutional spirit of our Republic of Korea."

Besides Min Byeong-deok, the statement included the names of lawmakers Lee Tan-hee, Yang Yi-won-young, Lee Won-taek, Lee Dong-joo, Yoo Jeong-joo, Choi Hye-young, Hong Ki-won, Lee Soo-jin (proportional), Lee Gyu-min, Lee Yong-bin, Han Jun-ho, Choi Ki-sang, Lee So-young, Jeon Yong-gi, Kim Kyung-man, Oh Young-hwan, Shin Hyun-young, Yang Ki-dae, Jang Kyung-tae, Hwang Un-ha, Yoon Mi-hyang, Kwon In-sook, Jang Cheol-min, Lee Jeong-moon, and Oh Ki-hyung.