Lee Jae-myung "It's fine to place just one chair and one desk"
Kwon Chil-seung should be stripped of party duties and severely disciplined
Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, said he was "frustrated because they only want to argue without having a dialogue" after Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, called for a public policy dialogue (public debate).
After the expanded party officials meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th, Kim told reporters, "A meeting between the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties to closely discuss national issues is a place for negotiation and dialogue, not a place for debate," expressing this view.
However, he added, "Debates are also fine. But we are suggesting to set up a separate occasion to consult on national issues between the ruling and opposition parties," and said, "It is frustrating because they only want to argue without having a dialogue."
Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the expanded party officers meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Earlier, just before the Democratic Party's Supreme Council meeting ended that day, Lee Jae-myung proposed a debate to Kim, saying, "We can even put one chair and one desk and have it."
Lee continued, "But they keep requesting unofficial meetings, and when we proposed a public policy dialogue, they say they will do it in the future but practically keep postponing it, which I cannot help but feel."
The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to a meeting between their leaders, but are facing difficulties in detailed coordination. The Democratic Party prefers a public dialogue such as a TV debate, while the People Power Party insists on conducting unofficial talks alongside, so the differences have not been narrowed.
Meanwhile, at the meeting that day, Kim claimed, "The Democratic Party of Korea must strip Kwon Chil-seung, the party’s chief spokesperson who caused irreparable wounds to the families of the Cheonan ship victims and made outrageous remarks, of his party position and impose severe disciplinary action."
Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the expanded party officers meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Earlier, Kwon, the chief spokesperson, sparked controversy by saying about Lee Rae-kyung, honorary director of Dareun Baeknyeon, who was appointed as the Democratic Party’s new Innovation Committee Chair but resigned after 9 hours, "What kind of face does the Cheonan ship captain have to say such things?" and "He killed all his subordinates, it’s absurd. The captain is not supposed to leave the ship," which intensified the controversy. Lee was criticized for participating in the 'Protect Lee Jae-myung Movement' and for describing the Cheonan ship incident as a self-destruction.
Regarding this, Kim said, "The day before was the first Memorial Day after the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was upgraded and launched as the National Veterans Affairs, but the behavior shown by the Democratic Party caused great anger among the families of the Cheonan ship victims, surviving soldiers, and all veterans nationwide," and criticized, "(The Democratic Party) brought in a person with distorted perceptions and extreme remarks through the innovation body they established."
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