Focus on Budget Approval by the 9th... Then Submit Impeachment Motion Against Lee Sang-min

Joo Ho-young Floor Leader "Focus on Passing the Budget by the 9th"
Song Eon-seok Deputy Floor Leader "Please Return to Cooperation"

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the party's policy meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 2nd. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporters Bomryeong Geum, Hyunji Kwon] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said on the 2nd, "I hope we focus solely on passing next year's budget until the 9th."

At the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Floor Leader Joo stated, "The Democratic Party says they will submit an impeachment motion against Minister Lee again in a few days, but even if they submit the impeachment motion, it should be postponed until after the budget is passed on the 9th. Saying they will submit it within that time is tantamount to saying they will not even pass the budget."

He explained that it would be difficult to pass the budget that day, saying, "The budget review by the Budget and Accounts Committee ended at midnight yesterday, and it has been referred to the plenary session, but the reduction and increase reviews have not been sufficiently conducted."

Floor Leader Joo emphasized, "Since the revision of the National Assembly Act in 2014, there have been cases where the legal deadline was missed, but the regular session has never passed December 9th. Even with only seven days left, the ruling and opposition parties must not delay any further the budget that is truly necessary, the budget needed for people's livelihood, and the budget needed to revive the economy."

He continued, "The Democratic Party submitted a motion to dismiss the Minister of the Interior and Safety and insisted on holding a plenary session yesterday and today, but since there was no agenda and no agreement, the Speaker did not convene the plenary session, which is truly a good decision," positively evaluating Speaker Kim Jin-pyo's decision.

The People Power Party and the Democratic Party had opposing views on convening the plenary session until the day before. On this day as well, Floor Leader Joo and Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Hong-geun were scheduled to meet under Speaker Kim's chairmanship, drawing attention to whether a last-minute agreement would be reached.

Floor Leader Joo said, "The people entrusted the People Power Party with power and asked to correct the mistakes of the past five years under the Moon Jae-in administration and to include the budget necessary for the country's development, but the Democratic Party asked to cut all of that. Even though the administration was judged and power was handed over, they now want to implement budgets they did not do during their own five years in power. I ask the people to watch closely and remember clearly what results came from giving the Democratic Party the majority seats."

Senior Deputy Floor Leader Song Eon-seok also said, "Do they still think they are the ruling party? They only need to monitor and supervise, but making and implementing the budget plan themselves is nothing but refusal to accept the presidential election results. I hope they stop being obstinate and return to cooperation so that the budget can be processed normally."