[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Yoo Seung-min, a former lawmaker and presidential candidate of the People Power Party, said on the 5th, "Candidates who think politics and policy are separate and just talk vague nonsense, such as fairness and constitutional spirit, and consider that politics while treating policy as something of a lower level need to change their thinking."
Yoo made these remarks during a Q&A session with reporters after announcing his 'Low Birthrate Pledge' online that day, addressing concerns about the lack of policy preparation in the pledges of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung. He pointed out, "If someone who becomes president thinks that politics is done up in the clouds and that policy is just about appointing good ministers and senior secretaries in the Blue House, that is absolutely wrong," adding, "If a president is elected with that mindset, there is a high possibility of becoming a failed president."
Yoo said, "(I) believe politics is policy, and 70-80% of policy is related to the economy and people's livelihood," adding, "I don't know how good the pledges that the professors helping those gentlemen (former Prosecutor General Yoon and former Chairman Choi) will come up with, but my pledges are the result of long maturation in my head and heart, considering whether the resources are feasible and whether it must be done even if there are difficulties, all for the future."
He also criticized former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's remarks regarding the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Earlier, in an interview with Busan Ilbo, former Prosecutor General Yoon was reported to have said in response to a question about expanding nuclear power, "The Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan did not explode. There was damage due to an earthquake and tsunami, but the nuclear plant itself did not collapse. So, radioactive leakage basically did not occur." However, the reported content was later deleted after article revisions.
Regarding this, Yoo said, "The nuclear power plants in the Sendai area of Fukushima were damaged, and radioactive contaminants have been continuously released, polluting the sea east of Japan and affecting us as well. I think this issue is being discussed too lightly," adding, "While nuclear power generation is important, overconfidence in the safety of nuclear power plants is a no-go." Yoo pointed out, "Nuclear power plants are concentrated along the East Coast, so safety issues from earthquakes, natural disasters, and the possibility of North Korea firing missiles must be taken seriously." He continued, "Many citizens are concerned about the issue of discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean in large quantities, so it would be appropriate to be cautious about remarks on this matter."
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