"Someday the People Will Recognize It"
"Democratic Party Talks About Jeon Du-hwan While Ignoring Kim Jong-un"
[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, currently visiting the United States, drew attention by giving a positive evaluation of former President Park Geun-hye. He revealed his view that although Park pursued unpopular but necessary policies, this ultimately triggered her impeachment. He also reaffirmed that conservative parties should uphold the principle of keeping promises even when popularity declines.
On the 23rd (local time), Lee met with international students at George Washington University Law School in the U.S. and said, "There are various interpretations of former President Park's impeachment. Some say it was due to the state affairs manipulation scandal, but there is also an analysis that this was merely a trigger. Another perspective is that it was because she implemented unpopular policies." This suggests the view that after losing support due to carrying out reform tasks unfavorable to the administration, she became embroiled in the state affairs manipulation scandal and was impeached.
He said, "If the Park Geun-hye administration had been populist, there were things they should not have done, but the public servant pension reform was a strategy that was not right as a ruling strategy," adding, "It is also true that tens of trillions of won in fiscal savings were achieved through this."
He continued, "Raising cigarette taxes was a policy that should not have been done if they wanted to regain power, and politically, the Korea-Japan comfort women agreement should have been shelved," adding, "They thought these things had to be done and carried them out as the ruling party's responsibility, which led to a decline in the administration's popularity. Conservative parties at least try to keep promises and uphold the principle of doing what must be done even if popularity falls."
Lee said, "While the People Power Party considered fiscal matters during its time as the ruling party, the Moon Jae-in administration aimed only for re-election even as national debt exceeded 1,000 trillion won," adding, "I believe that someday the people will recognize this, and we will continue to uphold this stance." He also said, "Looking back now, former President Park can be said to have stubbornly pursued unpopular policies to keep her promises."
Meanwhile, Lee said, "The Democratic Party of Korea claims democratic legitimacy and talks about former President Chun Doo-hwan, but hesitates to talk about North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, and while claiming to inherit the spirit of the Gwangju May 18 Democratic Uprising, they do not sympathize with the Hong Kong protesters," adding, "They need to overcome this contradictory agenda. That is basically the direction that conservative parties should have."
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