Park Chandae "Pursuing 250,000 Won Per Person Livelihood Recovery Support Fund"... Democratic Party "Urges Restoration of Reason"

Park Chandae "We Must Also Take the Operations and Judiciary Committees"
Jung Heeyong "Urges the Giant Opposition Party to Regain Reason"

On the 7th, the People Power Party criticized the Democratic Party of Korea's push for a "250,000 won per citizen livelihood recovery support fund," urging the "major opposition party to regain its sanity."

Jung Hee-yong, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, issued a statement saying, "Park Chan-dae, the newly appointed floor leader, declared that he would introduce a bill to provide the '250,000 won per citizen livelihood recovery support fund,' a pledge by Lee Jae-myung, as the first bill of the 22nd National Assembly," adding, "The Democratic Party, intoxicated by their overwhelming victory in the general election, is trying to continue their reckless actions in the 22nd National Assembly by leveraging their numerical superiority."

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The livelihood recovery support fund requires the formulation of a supplementary budget (추경). From the government and ruling party's perspective, this is inevitably burdensome amid high inflation. Simple cash government support can cause side effects that exacerbate high inflation and high interest rates. Lee proposed the livelihood recovery support fund to President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 29th of last month, but it was not accepted. However, the possibility of the opposition party unilaterally implementing a budget-consuming bill without government cooperation is very low. This is because the Constitution grants the executive branch the right to formulate the budget, while the National Assembly only has the right to review and approve the budget.

Chief spokesperson Jung pointed out, "They also announced a unilateral plan to reintroduce eight bills, which President Yoon had exercised his veto power on, as a 'package,'" and criticized, "The Democratic Party is recklessly pushing forward by unilaterally referring bills such as the Democratic Meritorious Service Act, the Second Grain Act, and the Special Act on Jeonse Fraud directly to the plenary session, using the general election mandate as an excuse."

New floor leader Park said on KBS Radio that day, "To check the administration, we need to secure the Steering Committee and, for a practical National Assembly, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee," adding, "If the People Power Party insists, we will have no choice but to proceed according to the National Assembly Act procedures rather than customs." According to the National Assembly Act, standing committee chairs are elected. By custom, the chairs are nominated through agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, and the election is held formally. Park added, "Securing the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee is a demand not only from the Democratic Party but also from the people." In response, chief spokesperson Jung said, "Since they are determined to monopolize not only the Speaker of the National Assembly but also the chairs of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee, it is no wonder that people say 'there is a separate president in Yeouido,'" and warned, "Do not forget that the true public will is the people's command to restore politics and work for livelihoods."