Emphasizing Livelihood at 100 Days in Office
Press Conference Canceled
Some Top Officials Say "We Are Lee Jae-myung's Political Community"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] On the 5th, marking 100 days since his inauguration, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, warned the government and ruling party to "fear the people and history."
At the party's Supreme Council meeting held that day in the party leader's office in the National Assembly main building in Yeouido, Lee said, "During the 200 days of the Yoon Seok-yeol government, which has abandoned people's livelihood and focused solely on suppressing the opposition, politics has disappeared, and dialogue and compromise have vanished." He added, "The people will not tolerate the abuse of power entrusted to us temporarily for destroying the opposition instead of addressing people's livelihood," raising his voice that "this administration has brought about the collapse of the livelihood economy, threats to public safety, regression of democracy, and a crisis to peace on the Korean Peninsula with incompetence, irresponsibility, and lack of measures."
Recently, Lee has faced 'judicial risks' as the prosecution's investigation into allegations of corruption in the Daejang-dong scandal and suspicions of lawyer fee payments on his behalf has intensified. Key aides, including Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute, and Jeong Jin-sang, political coordination officer in the party leader's office, have been arrested, and voices of concern over these judicial risks are growing mainly among the party's 'Bi Myeong (non-Lee Jae-myung) faction.' Former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun of the Democratic Party mentioned the possibility of a party split as she warned in the past that the party is mired in the 'Lee Jae-myung judicial risk.' 설 훈 (Seol Hun), classified as part of the 'Lee Nak-yeon faction,' also pressured Lee to resign from his position, saying, "Giving up the party leadership could be an option."
Because of this, the originally expected 100-day press conference for Lee's inauguration was canceled. Lee has kept his distance by refraining from commenting extensively on the prosecution's investigation. It is known that he was concerned that issuing a statement while being identified as the central figure in various allegations could drag him into the vortex of the issue and diminish the significance of his efforts on people's livelihood.
Instead, Lee took a sharp stance against the government and ruling party that day, emphasizing people's livelihood and democracy while highlighting the achievements of his first 100 days in office. He said, "Over the past 100 days, the Democratic Party has sown the seeds of change centered on the 'two-track approach of people's livelihood and democracy' to meet the earnest hopes of the people and party members," introducing laws to prevent inheritance by minor heirs, the three household debt laws, and three urgent programs for restoring people's livelihood.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
Democratic Party Supreme Council members also stepped up as Lee Jae-myung's 'shield' that day. Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member, emphasized, "We will fight against the all-out suppression of Lee," adding, "Protecting Lee is protecting the party and its members." Park Chan-dae, another Supreme Council member, warned, "Since Lee's inauguration, the prosecution's political suppression has reached its peak. If the Yoon Seok-yeol administration continues to fabricate and distort crimes that do not exist and abuses and misuses the power entrusted by the people for political suppression, it must clearly understand that it will be recorded as a failed administration." Seo Young-kyo, Supreme Council member, said, "We will show the Yoon government that those who rise by the sword will perish by the sword."
Lee is also known to have expressed his determination to confront the situation head-on to those around him. Since he is absolutely not involved in the allegations, he believes that if the prosecution summons him, he can confidently respond. Lee said, "The Democratic Party will continue to move forward boldly for practical people's livelihood reforms and stronger democracy as it has over the past 100 days," adding, "Since the people are the masters of politics, I will exercise the authority entrusted by the people without hesitation for people's livelihood and democracy, cooperating with the government and ruling party where necessary and correcting what needs to be corrected."
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