Democratic Party Local Leaders Gather for Countermeasure Announcement
"Request to Study Heating Cost Support for All Households"
Emphasis on Resolving Heating Costs through 30 Trillion Won Supplementary Budget
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Democratic Party of Korea strongly raised the issue of responsibility for the 'failure in livelihood' against the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. They criticized the government for blaming the previous administration alone for the main causes of price increases, including heating costs, while failing to present active measures.
On the 5th, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, called local government heads affiliated with the party to the National Assembly and held a "Heating Cost Bomb Local Government Countermeasure Presentation."
Introducing cases where local governments used their own budgets to reduce the burden of heating costs, he indirectly criticized the central government for its passive efforts.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the expanded executive meeting held at the National Assembly on the 3rd and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
Lee said, "Even local governments like Paju City, whose total budget is only one three-hundredth of the central government’s, are striving to help the people, so it is absurd that the central government cannot do the same," adding, "Since everyone is having a hard time, please study ways to support heating costs for all households."
The Democratic Party reiterated its call to resolve the heating cost issue by introducing a supplementary budget (Chugyeong) worth 30 trillion won.
Spokesperson Park Sung-jun said in a signed briefing, "While the people are suffocating from livelihood difficulties, the government is busy avoiding responsibility by blaming others," and added, "Although heating cost support is inevitable, they are shying away from introducing the supplementary budget."
Park emphasized, "It seems that accepting the supplementary budget now is regarded as admitting policy failure, but is the government more reluctant to admit failure than to overcome the crisis?" and stressed, "They must listen to the opinions of the people and the opposition party and find solutions together."
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