Park Hong-geun: "More frightening than natural disasters is the Yoon administration's complacency and crisis insensitivity"

"Major Personnel Reform Needed"
"If as Much Effort Is Put into Public Welfare as Establishing the Police Bureau, Nothing Is Impossible"

Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 11th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out on the 11th that "more frightening than natural disasters is the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's complacency and crisis insensitivity." He described the government's recent response to the continuous heavy rains as "total incompetence."

At the Democratic Party policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Park said, "The people are anxious because the crisis response system is not functioning properly, and they are angry at the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's total incompetence."

He added, "The president apologized to the people, but the inconsistent behavior of the presidential office, claiming it was not an apology, is absurd." The day before, President Yoon Seok-yeol expressed regret over the casualties caused by the heavy rains in the metropolitan area, saying, "On behalf of the government, I am sorry." However, the presidential office later reversed its stance, stating, "We do not consider it an apology."

Regarding the creation of a card news featuring the president inspecting the site of the semi-basement family tragedy, he said, "It is shocking to use a disaster site for government promotion," and added, "The incompetent personnel in the presidential office, who lack both ability and sense, must be completely replaced." He continued, "Diagnosing the situation as merely a lack of promotion is a very dangerous idea and a delusion," and urged President Yoon once again to "alleviate the public's anxiety and quell their anger through a large-scale personnel overhaul."

On President Yoon's appointment of Yoon Hee-geun as Commissioner of the National Police Agency, he criticized, "Even in disaster crisis situations, he is putting all his effort into controlling power institutions," and pointed out, "How long has it been since the resignation of former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae, yet he forcibly appointed a police chief without the National Assembly's confirmation report being adopted." He added, "Meanwhile, with over 150,000 new COVID-19 cases, 400 critically ill patients, and over 50 daily deaths, the position of Minister of Health and Welfare remains vacant," and said, "If President Yoon put as much effort into people's livelihoods, heavy rain, and COVID-19 as he does into establishing the Police Bureau, there would be nothing he couldn't accomplish."