[Summary] "Economic Incompetence Remake of Moon Government" Opposition Criticizes Lee Jae-myung's 'Restaurant Quota System' Fiercely

Opposition Criticizes as "Unfiltered 'Malmal Machine' Regardless of Time and Place"
Lee Responds, "Not Saying It Will Be Implemented Immediately... Needs Consideration"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, visited Sinwon Market in Gwanak-gu, Seoul on the 27th and greeted merchants. / Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The People Power Party fiercely criticized Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, for his mention of a 'total restaurant permit quota system,' calling it "nonsense" and a "totalitarian idea."

On the 28th, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, strongly criticized Lee's remarks at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, saying, "Lee's reckless remarks have finally started to take effect," and called it a "typical policy that ignores the fundamentals of economics."

Lee said, "Presenting unreasonable economic policies to the public, covering up theoretical flaws through government-friendly scholars, and claiming impossibilities as possibilities with distorted statistics is the economic incompetence of the Moon Jae-in administration, which seems to be inherited by this candidate," adding, "I firmly assert that the future proposed by this candidate is very likely to be a remake version of the Moon Jae-in administration."

Earlier, on the 27th, at a nationwide small business owners and self-employed meeting held at Sinwon Market in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Lee said, "Many restaurants open and close, making it like an ant's hell. I am considering operating a total restaurant permit quota system," and added, "Opening restaurants recklessly and failing is not freedom. Good regulation is necessary." Some interpreted this as a suggestion to limit the number of restaurants to some extent due to fierce competition and frequent closures in the food service industry, but others criticized it as excessively infringing on individual entrepreneurial freedom.

In response, Lee Jun-seok also criticized on Facebook, mentioning the 'Daejang-dong development special favor suspicion,' saying, "If he spoke out of ignorance, this is incompetence that allows businesspeople to exploit him, and if he is actually planning something, it is bad."

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at a meeting between the People Power Party and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

Presidential candidates from the People Power Party also issued critical messages regarding the total restaurant permit quota system idea.

Former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong wrote on Facebook, "A total restaurant permit quota system at a small business and self-employed meeting?this is a 'reckless speech machine' that disregards time and place," and demanded, "The role of the government of the Republic of Korea, a liberal democracy, is not to regulate and oppress recklessly like candidate Lee Jae-myung. He must immediately apologize for attempting to deprive the people's freedom."

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl also criticized, saying, "Is the state trying to 'design' even the personal lives of its citizens? This is truly a totalitarian idea," and added, "Such thinking could ultimately lead to the state controlling the entire industry."

He further emphasized, "This dangerous economic view of candidate Lee will push our already struggling economy into a swamp of stronger interference and control, eventually ruining our economy," and stressed, "In a free market economy system, the government should support individuals and companies to freely engage in economic activities based on autonomy and creativity."

Meanwhile, as criticism spread, Lee stepped back, saying, "I am not saying it will be implemented immediately, but I think it is worth considering."

After visiting '2021 RoboWorld,' a specialized robot industry exhibition held at KINTEX in Ilsan that day, Lee told reporters, "I did not mean to introduce it as a national policy, to publicize it, pledge it, and implement it," adding, "There is a saying that food businesses do not fail, so many people enter self-employment. Although the numbers are not exact, tens of thousands close and open annually, and this problem actually occurred, so I briefly considered it when I was mayor of Seongnam."