Joo Ho-young: "Lee Jae-myung's Pension Reform Proposal? The Facts Are Wrong"

Lee Declares Willingness to 'Accept' as Democratic Party Alternative
Ruling Party Points Out "Wrong Premise"
Criticism Over Political Calculations

Joo Ho-young, a member of the People Power Party and chairman of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Pension Reform, pointed out on the 23rd that Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was "wrong from the facts (factual relations)" in his proposal for pension reform.

Chairman Joo said in a phone call that "the premise is wrong," adding, "(The 13% contribution rate and 45% income replacement rate mentioned by Leader Lee) are Democratic Party proposals, but they are being presented as if they were our (People Power Party) proposals and that they could be accepted, so the facts are wrong from the start."

On the 30th, at the plenary meeting of the Special Committee on Pension Reform held at the National Assembly, Chairman Joo Ho-young is speaking. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Yoo Kyung-joon, a member of the People Power Party and the ruling party's secretary of the Pension Special Committee, also said, "Leader Lee said on Facebook today that the Democratic Party has made a magnanimous decision to accept the '13% contribution rate and 45% income replacement rate plan' proposed by the Yoon Suk-yeol government, but this is not true," explaining, "'The 13% contribution rate and 45% income replacement rate plan' is a proposal advocated by the Democratic Party, not by the Yoon Suk-yeol government."

Earlier, Leader Lee stated in his Facebook message, "The 13% contribution rate and 45% income replacement rate plan was proposed by the Yoon Suk-yeol government," adding, "The Yoon Suk-yeol administration stubbornly insists on its own claims despite the Democratic Party's magnanimous decision. Irresponsible politics must stop."

The 13% contribution rate and 45% income replacement rate have been the Democratic Party's proposals, while the People Power Party and the government have advocated for a 13% contribution rate and 43% income replacement rate.

If Leader Lee tried to disguise the Democratic Party's proposal as the government's plan, it is interpreted as a political offensive aimed at portraying the People Power Party and the government as passive in pension reform. Chairman Joo said, "The Democratic Party plans to reapprove the 'Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act' at the plenary session on the 28th and push it through unilaterally," adding, "So I think there is a political calculation to use the pension plan agreement as a pretext to pass everything at the plenary session." He continued, "The Democratic Party may appear to be proactive in pension reform while we may seem incapable," emphasizing, "We cannot accept anything other than a 13% contribution rate and 43% income replacement rate."