Opposition: "Is Yoon a stealth fighter? The incompetent presidential office must be reformed"
Ruling party: "Moon was also a 'phone control tower'... Stop the hypocritical political strife"
Inappropriate remarks during disaster situations also become targets of political conflict
Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is giving an opening remark at the emergency party-government meeting to review flood damage countermeasures held at the National Assembly on the 10th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo
Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving an opening remark at the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 11th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yoonjin Kim] Starting from the central region on the 8th, record-breaking heavy rains caused massive human and material damage. While both ruling and opposition parties urged the government for swift disaster relief measures, they also soured the atmosphere by politicizing each other's flood response efforts.
The Democratic Party criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol for managing the heavy rains in the central region from his residence in Seocho-dong, Seoul, calling him a "phone control tower." It was reported that President Yoon did not visit the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the time but instead handled reports and gave instructions from home. On the 10th, Park Hong-geun, the Democratic Party floor leader, condemned the president’s crisis response during an emergency committee meeting, saying, "Not even showing up and responding to the crisis by phone?does the president think he’s some kind of 'stealth aircraft'?"
The Democratic Party also harshly criticized President Yoon’s apology remarks as "shameless." On the 10th, during a meeting on urban flooding countermeasures, President Yoon apologized, saying, "I pray for the repose of the victims and, on behalf of the government, express my apologies to the citizens who have suffered inconvenience." However, the presidential office emphasized that this was "one of the ways to communicate" and not an apology.
In response to the presidential office’s explanation, the Democratic Party reproached, "Are you saying the president apologized reluctantly?" On the same day, Democratic Party spokesperson Shin Hyun-young pointed out in a briefing, "This behavior by the presidential office diminishes the meaning of the president’s apology," and added, "If President Yoon wants to overcome the government’s dysfunction and properly establish the control tower of state affairs, we urge a full personnel overhaul starting from the presidential office to the cabinet."
Park Hong-geun also pressured the presidential office again on the 11th during a policy coordination meeting, saying, "The incompetent personnel in the presidential office who lack both ability and common sense must be completely replaced."
On the other hand, the People Power Party accused the Democratic Party’s offensive as "double standards," arguing that the opposition party is not free from criticism either. On the same day, Heo Eun-ah, the People Power Party chief spokesperson, directly challenged, "When former President Moon Jae-in had just taken office, he was briefed by phone about North Korea’s new missile launch during his vacation and convened the National Security Council by phone. Does that make former President Moon a 'phone control tower' too?" She continued, "Look at yourselves first before speaking. The public is tired of further political attacks," urging the opposition to stop the "political offensive."
Both parties continued their attacks by citing examples of inappropriate responses during disaster situations. The People Power Party posted on their official SNS photos of opposition party lawmakers from the 'Chumokhoe' group laughing amid the 2020 Daejeon flood damage reports, and a post by lawmaker Park Chan-dae on social media during the heavy rains on the 8th saying, "Shinna Maelmael Jaemitta (It’s fun every day)." They added, "Stop political strife in the face of public suffering and disaster," and pledged, "The People Power Party will do its best to prepare measures for disaster recovery and public safety."
However, the People Power Party was left speechless when, on the 11th, lawmaker Kim Seong-won was caught on camera at a flood recovery volunteer site saying, "Honestly, I wish it rained a bit more," and "So the photos come out well." After the remarks caused controversy, Kim apologized, saying, "I apologize for my momentary thoughtlessness," and added, "I will devote myself sincerely to the remaining flood recovery volunteer activities."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
