Choi Seung-jae: "If a 'Nominal Compensation Law' Without Retroactive Application Is Made, We Will Not Hesitate to Engage in Legal Battles"

Ruling Party and Government Agree on Support Instead of Compensation
Industry Committee Bill Subcommittee Likely to Meet Tomorrow Afternoon

Choi: "Retroactive Application Must Be Specified in Law"
Will Continue Campaign Against Quarantine Rule Violations

People Power Party lawmaker Choi Seung-jae is shedding tears during a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 27th of last month, where he declared a hunger strike urging the passage of the Loss Compensation Act. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The People Power Party urged the government and ruling party on the 7th to first conduct an estimate of business losses before creating a 'nominal loss compensation law.'

The Democratic Party and the government held a party-government consultation on the morning of the same day regarding the legalization of the loss compensation system. As a result of the meeting, it was decided to apply loss compensation through the revision of the Small Business Support Act rather than enacting a special law. Regarding losses incurred before the law's enforcement, which was the biggest issue, it was agreed to provide support rather than legal compensation.

People Power Party lawmaker Choi Seung-jae held a press conference in response, stating, "The government and ruling party have settled on a position of support without retroactive application through today's party-government meeting," expressing opposition. Lawmaker Choi said, "It is nonsense to talk about tailored support based on data when the exact scale of losses has never been investigated even once until now."

He continued, "Those who went bankrupt while cooperating with quarantine measures will find that without the implementation of a complete loss compensation law, compensation as well as tailored support are nothing but a pipe dream," emphasizing, "This is why a complete loss compensation law stipulated by law is absolutely necessary." He added, "Tomorrow, there is a high possibility that the flawed loss compensation law will pass the standing committee subcommittee through the ruling party's push," and said, "With the opposition's number of seats, there is no way to block any trickery."

Lawmaker Choi stated, "If legislation without retroactive application is forced, we will carry out a movement of disobedience against discriminatory quarantine rules together with 10 million small business owners and self-employed people," and "We will not hesitate to engage in legal battles alongside those resisting due to unfair government decisions that prevent them from receiving proper loss compensation."