Gominjeong on Yoon's Office Relocation Plan: "Seems Like an Effort to Block Communication"
Heo Eun-ah: "Are You Trying to Transform into Anti-Moon Now?"
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As Democratic Party lawmaker Go Min-jung criticized President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's push to relocate the Blue House office, on the 21st, the People Power Party pointed out, "Why start with sarcasm before even three days have passed since President Moon Jae-in spoke?"
Heo Eun-ah, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, directly addressed lawmaker Go in a post on her Facebook, saying, "Are you confessing to President Moon's lame duck status? Or are you now trying to transform into an anti-Moon?"
She said, "Last Friday (the 18th), President Moon warned Blue House aides including Secretary Tak Hyun-min not to express individual opinions on the policies or governance plans of President-elect Yoon's side," emphasizing, "He showed strong determination for a meeting between the president-elect and the Blue House by personally reprimanding Secretary Tak and close aides for causing unnecessary political controversy with remarks like '30 seconds if you run' and 'Changgyeonggung Zoo subjects.'"
She continued, "Today, Park Soo-hyun, Blue House Chief of Public Communication, stated, 'Although the promise to open the Gwanghwamun era was not kept, we hope President-elect Yoon's will is upheld,' and added, 'We will quickly show a stable and exemplary transition.'"
Additionally, spokesperson Heo added, "I am curious about how lawmaker Go and the Democratic Party view President Moon," and said, "Why not trust the will and sincerity of President Moon and the Blue House?"
She also said, "Everyone wanted it, but no one had ever experienced an open president, a president among the people’s lives. Please stop disparaging President-elect Yoon’s difficult decision to open such an era, and together with President Moon, quickly demonstrate a stable and exemplary transition."
According to Blue House spokesperson Park Kyung-mi, President Moon at a staff meeting on the 18th urged, "Do not express individual opinions on the policies or governance direction of the president-elect's side." This appears to be a remark made in light of the unified criticism of the office relocation by current and former aides including Blue House Protocol Secretary Tak Hyun-min and former Presidential Secretary Im Jong-seok.
However, lawmaker Go continues her critical voice through Facebook. On the same day, she refuted President-elect Yoon’s remark that "(the Blue House Guesthouse) is used only a few times a year," saying, "That is not true." She pointed out, "The guesthouse is basically a place to welcome foreign heads of state, but that is not all."
She added, "It is used to host distinguished guests who are not heads of state but deserve the highest honors, such as families of the Sewol ferry victims, independence activists and their families, and the PyeongChang Paralympic team," and said, "It is a place where large-scale meetings such as the National Fiscal Strategy Meeting, the 100 National Tasks Reporting Conference, the 100-day Inauguration Commemorative National Report, and press briefings are held."
Moreover, lawmaker Go said, "President Moon worked in the same space with his secretaries and communicated frequently. The residence was also within the Blue House, so if urgent matters arose after work hours, he could meet immediately," and questioned, "Especially in cases of disasters or security threats occurring late at night or early morning, he could respond promptly. Have you thought about how you would get to the bunker in the Yongsan office if a security emergency happens at dawn?"
She further added, "It rather seems like an effort to block quick communication," and expressed concern, saying, "It is worrisome that you want to become a government that does not communicate from the start, ignoring the concerned voices not only of the people and government officials but also of figures within your party."
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