"Throwing Filth at Each Other to Create a 'Disliked Presidential Election'"
20s and 30s Identify 'Four-Day Workweek' as the Most Needed Policy
Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party's presidential candidate, appeared on YTN Plus's "Hello, Presidential Election?" released on the 7th and shared her thoughts on the four-candidate TV debate held on the 3rd. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party presidential candidate, named Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party presidential candidate, as the opponent who made her the angriest during the first four-candidate presidential TV debate.
Sim appeared on YTN Plus's "Hello, Presidential Election?" recorded immediately after the four-candidate debate on the 3rd, pointing out to Yoon, "I clearly spoke about labor issues, but during the debate, you lied saying you didn't." When asked who was the most ill-mannered during the debate, she answered, "The candidate who pretended it wasn't true even though it was."
This was a criticism of Yoon's statement during the debate that "I never said I would abolish the minimum wage system or the 52-hour workweek." Yoon explained, "Regarding workplaces with fewer than five employees, labor rights related to the Labor Standards Act apply, but regulations related to wage payment are difficult to apply due to poor conditions in such workplaces, so I suggested applying them considering the situation."
Earlier, on November 30 last year, during a visit to Chungbuk, Yoon said, "From what I've heard, the minimum wage system and the 52-hour workweek are very unrealistic and seriously hinder business operations," adding, "I will work to abolish all unrealistic systems."
As controversy over his 'anti-labor remarks' grew, Yoon clarified, "I never said I would abolish them." At a Kwanhun Club debate held at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on December 14 last year, he stated, "(The minimum wage system and the 52-hour workweek) should obviously be maintained," adding, "It is impossible to revert to working conditions that are already set and enforced." However, he added, "When raising the minimum wage in the future, economic growth rate and inflation must be taken into account."
Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party's presidential candidate, appeared on YTN Plus's "Hello, Presidential Election?" which was recorded immediately after the four-candidate presidential debate on the 3rd. Photo by YouTube channel 'YTN news' video capture
On that day, Sim said the thing she was most concerned about during the debate was "time." She laughed and answered, "The angriest thing is that (other candidates) don't ask me questions. I ask all the candidates to ask me questions."
She then emphasized the 'four-day workweek implementation' as the policy most needed by the 20s and 30s generation among her pledges, confidently saying, "I was the one who led the five-day workweek. The four-day workweek will definitely be realized. There is a saying that 'when Sim Sang-jung speaks, it happens within a few years.'"
When asked if she was confident she could surpass the support rate (6.17%) she received in the 19th presidential election, she criticized other candidates, saying, "Today is the first time we have competed on a fair stage. There has never been a debate among candidates. They made this an unpleasant election by throwing mud at each other."
Sim then appealed to her supporters, saying, "Sim Sang-jung supporters are too kind and sometimes move their votes to the lesser evil, but this time, please don't be kind voters."
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