Opposition Secures Foothold for Next Year's General Election... Focused Firepower at Today's National Audit

Lee Jae-myung's Leadership Further Strengthened
Hong Ik-pyo: "Stern Judgment on Yoon Seok-yeol Government's Reckless Actions"
Fukushima and Yangpyeong Expressway Continuous Offensive

After a landslide victory in the by-election for the Mayor of Gangseo District, Seoul, the Democratic Party of Korea, which secured a foothold for next year's general election, intensified its offensive against the ruling party on the 12th. As the 'regime judgment theory' gained momentum in this preliminary election ahead of next year's general election, the party appears to be focusing its firepower on attacks targeting the government and ruling party by further strengthening the Lee Jae-myung loyalist system.

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at the National Assembly's audit countermeasure meeting held on the 12th, "The result of this election is a stern judgment by the people against the reckless actions of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," adding, "The Democratic Party will humbly accept the opportunity given by the people as a call to 'do it properly.'"

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the National Assembly's audit countermeasure meeting held on the 12th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Jin Gyo-hoon, the elected mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, and his spouse are raising their hands in greeting with senior members including Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, at the campaign office in Magok-dong on the 11th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Initially, within the party, a vote margin difference of more than 15 percentage points was seen as a benchmark for predicting victory in next year's general election. With the election results meeting expectations, Lee Jae-myung's leadership is expected to become even more solid. As the arrest warrant against Lee was dismissed, alleviating some of his judicial risks, he is likely to continue the pro-Lee leadership system until next year's general election and increase pressure on the government and ruling party.

Immediately, sharp scrutiny is being prepared for the ongoing final audit of the 21st National Assembly. Hong, the floor leader, enumerated suspicions such as preferential treatment in the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway, the Osong disaster, allegations of plagiarism in Kim Geon-hee's master's and doctoral theses, controversies related to the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, and failures in personnel verification, emphasizing, "The Democratic Party will do its utmost to ensure that this audit fully serves as an economic audit and protects the lives of the people by employing all possible means within its scope."

He also forecasted a relentless offensive against the current government in 10 standing committees conducting audits that day, including the Planning and Finance, Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting, Defense, Public Administration and Security, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries, Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises, Health and Welfare, Environment and Labor, and Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committees.

In particular, during the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee audit targeting the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission and the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee audit targeting the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, pressure is expected to increase regarding the issue of discharging contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. In the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, a second round of debate will occur over the appropriateness of changing the terminus of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway. On the 10th, opposition lawmakers in the Land Committee pressured the government by demanding documents related to the terminus change. Fierce battles over allegations of external pressure related to the terminus change are also expected that day.

The party's floor leadership issued sharp warnings at the audit countermeasure meeting, criticizing the government and ruling party for their lack of sincerity in the audit. Floor Deputy Leader Yoo Jeong-ju pointed out, "At the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee audit the day before, Minister Yoo In-chon, who was appointed only four days before the audit, appeared," highlighting that he was not yet familiar with his duties. Floor Senior Deputy Leader Park Joo-min referred to his criticism of the poor verification by the Personnel Information Management Unit under the Ministry of Justice, which recommended an unqualified ministerial candidate during the Judiciary Committee audit, stating, "Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon must take responsibility for personnel verification," and added sharply, "Efforts must be made to prevent such disastrous appointments from continuing. This is a clear warning."