People Power Party: "Let's Not Hold Hearings During Eulji Training... Government Preparing for Hearings Instead of Training"

The People Power Party has urged Woo Won-sik, Speaker of the National Assembly, and the Democratic Party to halt opposition-led hearings during next week's Eulji Exercise period.

On this day, Bae Jun-young, the senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, pointed out the problems of opposition-led hearings since the 22nd National Assembly in a press statement, saying, "The Democratic Party, having already made futile efforts, is now trying to continue hearings in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee (on the 19th), the Public Administration and Security Committee (on the 20th), and the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee (on the 21st) even during the Eulji Exercise, a national-level emergency preparedness drill conducted in response to the 1968 North Korean armed infiltration incident." He appealed, "Please do not hold one-sided hearings so that the government and the National Assembly can fully participate in the all-out national mobilization that is the Eulji Exercise."

Bae Jun-young, Senior Deputy Floor Leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Deputy Floor Leader Bae introduced, "Despite the ongoing provocations from North Korea and global security uncertainties, each ministry should be meticulously preparing and responding to the drill. However, representatives of about 130,000 police officers responsible for civil defense evacuation drills and counter-terrorism at airports and major facilities nationwide (Public Administration and Security Committee), the head of the National Investigation Headquarters and frontline police chiefs (Public Administration and Security Committee), representatives of about 5,000 Customs Service employees in charge of immigration and cargo clearance at major ports and airports nationwide (Public Administration and Security Committee), and representatives of the Korea Communications Commission staff responsible for broadcasting and telecommunications services during disasters and cyber threat responses (Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee) are preparing for hearings today instead of the Eulji Exercise."

He criticized, "With the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, the Commissioner of the Customs Service, the suspended Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, and the acting chairman all appearing before the National Assembly, can the Eulji Exercise be properly conducted?"

He also urged restraint in opposition-led hearings. Deputy Floor Leader Bae stated, "Now, the 'National Assembly version of a melodrama' under the banner of hearings, which the public ignores, must come to an end," adding, "Not only do viewers have no interest, but it is also useless and harmful."