"Negotiation Based on Combat Power Over Unconditional Integration"
Han Deok-su Confirmation Hearing: "Difficult to Convince the Public with Only the Democratic Party's Standards"
"Will Resolve Livelihood Issues Such as Loss Compensation Supplementary Budget and Real Estate Policy"
On the 8th, at the National Assembly meeting held to elect the new floor leader of the People Power Party, Kwon Seong-dong, who was elected as the new floor leader, is delivering his acceptance speech. / Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group
[Asia Economy Reporters Kwon Hyun-ji and Lee Hyun-joo] Kwon Seong-dong, the newly appointed floor leader of the People Power Party who must face a giant opposition party, has set the principle of ‘negotiation based on combat power’ in establishing relations with the Democratic Party of Korea. At the floor leader election meeting held on the 8th, Kwon said, “As the ruling party, we will strongly pressure the Democratic Party where possible and realistically appeal thoroughly to the public on parts that are difficult to push forward,” adding, “We will enter negotiations with concrete alternatives on contentious issues.” Although there is an urgent need to cope well with the minority ruling situation and support the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, he emphasized prioritizing securing public support over unconditional integration.
The first expected confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties will be over the approval of Prime Minister nominee Han Deok-su. The Democratic Party formed a special committee for the confirmation hearing of Han Deok-su on the 8th and held its first internal meeting on the 10th to begin full-scale verification preparations. Regarding this, Kwon said in a Yonhap News interview on the 10th, “Verification is the duty of lawmakers, so it is naturally accepted, but since the Democratic Party lost the presidential election, I ask for active cooperation in the new government’s launch,” while sharply criticizing, “Verification standards should be based on the public’s perspective. The standards that only the Democratic Party insists on, without public agreement, will hardly gain public support.” He also expressed confidence in passing the hearing, saying, “Given the minority ruling situation, I think the verification is more thorough than during the Moon Jae-in administration.”
There are also many pressing livelihood issues. Kwon identified supplementary budget for loss compensation and real estate legislation as key tasks. Especially emphasizing the urgency of passing the supplementary budget for loss compensation, a core pledge of President-elect Yoon, he said, “Since Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung also expressed the same intention, I believe if a reasonable budget is prepared, the Democratic Party will agree.”
Regarding real estate policy, he said, “Many people have suffered due to the failure of real estate policy, especially those without homes,” adding, “The dissatisfaction over excessive taxation on actual homeowners with one household and one house led to protest votes in last year’s Seoul mayoral election and this presidential election, becoming a driving force for our party’s victory. This issue must be resolved quickly.” He expressed his intention to reform real estate taxation. He continued, “Especially the rent cap system and the 2+2 year lease renewal right guarantee caused the real estate crisis,” and said he would push for the prompt repeal or reduction of the ‘Lease 3 Laws.’ Through this, he aims to solve the public’s livelihood problems.”
Yoon Seok-yeol, the elected member of the People Power Party (right), and Kwon Seong-dong, the newly appointed floor leader / Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@
As the eldest figure among the so-called ‘Yoon Core Group (Yoon Seok-yeol’s key associates),’ attention is also focused on his future coordination with President-elect Yoon. Kwon said, “I will not hesitate to give frank and direct advice (to the president),” and “I will act as a bridge to ensure the government does not stray from the public’s expectations.” He intends to place the party at the center of state administration based on cooperation and healthy tension between the party and government.
He strongly opposed the so-called ‘complete removal of prosecution’s investigative authority (Geom-su-wan-bak)’ being pushed by the Democratic Party, saying, “Isn’t this an attempt to completely strip the prosecution’s investigative authority to block the crimes of Moon Jae-in, the key figures of the Moon Jae-in administration, and former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and his wife (Kim Hye-kyung), who are under various corruption suspicions?” In the interview, he called Geom-su-wan-bak a “heinous and unforgivable crime,” saying, “It aims to render the prosecution useless.”
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