[Summary] Song Young-gil and Lee Jun-seok Agree on 'Nationwide Disaster Relief Fund' Payment... Criticism Arises Within the Opposition Party

Jo Hae-jin "Our Party's Previous Position Was Opposed... Absurd"
Yoon Hee-sook "Are You Trying to Become a Monarch Overturning the Party's Philosophy?"

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (left), and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, shake hands during a dinner meeting held at a restaurant in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 12th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 12th, Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, agreed to provide a 'nationwide disaster relief fund' through the second supplementary budget. Meanwhile, voices of criticism have emerged within the opposition party, targeting Lee, saying things like "He needs to make more effort in internal party communication" and "Is he trying to become a monarch who overturns the party's philosophy?"

On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Cho Hae-jin pointed out on his Facebook, "It was reported that Lee agreed with Song on providing the nationwide disaster relief fund. If true, this is absurd," adding, "Our party's existing stance was opposition."

He continued, "Stimulating consumption through nationwide payments goes against COVID-19 prevention measures, results in reducing compensation and support for actual victims, and is regressive in terms of income redistribution," and said, "The circumstances under which Lee made an agreement different from the party's existing stance must be clarified. If the leader made this decision unilaterally, it is a serious problem. Lee must clarify this."

He emphasized, "While it is reasonable for presidential candidates to advocate for issues like abolishing the Ministry of Unification as part of their pledges, when the party leader speaks, it can be perceived as the party's official position or party doctrine, so the meaning is different," and added, "Lee needs to make more effort in internal party communication and be cautious with his remarks."

People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Hee-sook is recently being interviewed by Yonhap News at her office in the National Assembly Members' Office Building.

Yoon Hee-sook, a People Power Party lawmaker who declared her presidential bid, also criticized Lee on her Facebook on the same day with a post titled, 'Having promised democratic party management, are you trying to become a monarch who arbitrarily overturns the party's philosophy?'

She began by saying, "The ruling party has always focused on distributing money regardless of philosophy or principles, but the People Power Party has at least pledged not to burden the next generation with unnecessary debt and has been the only political force concerned about fiscal sustainability."

She continued, "Now that the fourth wave of the pandemic has begun, no one knows how deep the small business owners' hardships will become or whether the fifth and sixth waves will come," adding, "If there is a principle we can agree on as a community, it is that we must not neglect the lives of small business owners who have no choice but to cooperate with quarantine measures."

Yoon also emphasized, "Supporting them requires immediate massive spending, and we don't know how much more will be needed in the future," and said, "If the spending is not absolutely necessary, we really need to save."

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, are greeting each other after finishing a dinner meeting at a restaurant in Yeouido, Seoul on the 12th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

She said, "This year alone, we planned to take on debt amounting to 100 trillion won, and we don't know how much more it will increase," adding, "I feel sorry that the next generation, whose shoulders will be crushed by aging, will have to bear more debt."

Furthermore, she questioned, "What policy rationality is there in distributing disaster relief funds to everyone, including those who have not been affected by the disaster at all?" and criticized, "If you are a presidential candidate, you deserve to be condemned for vote-buying."

Finally, Yoon said, "Above all, I never expected to see a party leader suddenly making a bipartisan agreement that overturns the principles without any internal party discussion," and stated, "We did not elect a party leader who promised democratic party management to push through things arbitrarily like the monarchic party leaders of the past. He has betrayed the trust of many who expected new politics from a young party leader."

In response to the controversy, Lee explained on his Facebook, "The intention was to prioritize using supplementary budget funds to broaden and deepen support and compensation for small business owners and self-employed people who suffered losses due to government quarantine guidelines," adding, "Then, if there are remaining funds, to consider expanding the disaster relief fund payment target from the bottom 80% income group to the entire population, taking into account the quarantine situation."

He added, "Right after the meeting with Leader Song, I met with our party's floor leadership and requested them to proceed with future negotiations based on this agreement."