'Loss Compensation' Biggest Beneficiaries Are Entertainment Venues?…PM Kim "Billions to Nightclubs, Will the Public Accept This?"

National Assembly Interpellation Session

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum is responding during the government-wide economic question session held on the 23rd at the National Assembly plenary hall in Yeouido, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] On the 23rd, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum questioned the government's policy on compensation for losses of self-employed and small business owners, saying, "If we compensate nightclubs and other entertainment establishments (due to COVID-19 quarantine measures), it would amount to hundreds of millions of won. Would the public accept such a situation?"

During the government questioning session at the National Assembly that day, when People Power Party lawmaker Yang Geum-hee pointed out that "the government opposes retroactive application of loss compensation," Prime Minister Kim responded, "You shouldn't generalize it like that," and made the remark.

Prime Minister Kim stated, "Compensation must be provided in some form for industries whose operations were restricted or prohibited due to quarantine measures, but it is not feasible to settle by examining each individual business one by one," adding, "That is why we have adopted a method of estimating the extent of damage by industry." He also added, "We are preparing to support those in restricted or prohibited industries in a substantial way to provide as much help as possible."

Meanwhile, in response to lawmaker Yang's question regarding nuclear power plants, Prime Minister Kim said, "It is excessive agitation to suggest that nuclear power plants are not producing electricity because of the nuclear phase-out policy," and added, "Nuclear power will inevitably remain an important part of our energy sources for the next 60 years. Since we will operate nuclear power plants for 60 years, we need to see if there is room to extend their design life."

Regarding the suggestion that the lifespan of nuclear power plants should be extended to reduce generation costs, he said, "If it were an economically viable measure, each nuclear power plant nearing expiration would have gone through such a process," and concerning the 'Gori and Wolseong nuclear power plants,' which were suspected of early shutdown, he said, "I understand that such a process was followed."