People Power Party Holds General Meeting in Front of Yongsan Presidential Office... "Confirmation of Kim Minseok Will Mark the Beginning of Lee Administration's Downfall"

People Power Party Launches Public Campaign to Pressure President Lee
Demands Withdrawal of Kim Minseok's Prime Minister Nomination

On July 1, the People Power Party urged President Lee Jaemyung to withdraw the nomination of Kim Minseok as Prime Minister, repeatedly emphasizing, "Remember that the moment you push through the confirmation, the downfall of the Lee Jaemyung administration will begin."

Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party, held an on-site general meeting of lawmakers in front of the symbolic tower at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, stating, "None of the suspicions have been resolved," and insisted, "What President Lee must do is clear. He must withdraw the nomination for Prime Minister."

Yonhap News Agency

Floor leader Song strongly criticized, "Kim's explanation that he received 4.5 million won each month by investing in a cabbage farm that brings in income only on harvest days, which happen only a couple of times a year, is an insult to farmers who sweat under the scorching sun. Does such a person deserve to be Prime Minister?" He continued, "Does someone who mocks North Korean defectors who risked their lives to find freedom deserve to be Prime Minister? Does someone who does not know the size of the national budget or the national debt ratio, yet discusses the economic crisis, deserve to be Prime Minister?"

Regarding the Lee Jaemyung administration's mortgage loan regulations, he criticized, "While our citizens are hit with sudden loan restrictions implemented in just one day, foreigners, including Chinese nationals, are not subject to these regulations," adding, "The public is outraged by this reverse discrimination against our own people, which lacks fairness."

Floor leader Song also remarked, "Do you think that just because people say, 'Let’s see how you do, let’s give you a chance,' everyone is applauding you? Remember that anger against the Lee Jaemyung administration's hypocritical and dictatorial politics is rapidly growing in the hearts of the people."

He further added, "The reason we have come all the way to the front of the presidential office is because the Lee Jaemyung administration and the Democratic Party of Korea have ignored the voices of the opposition and abandoned cooperation in the National Assembly. Yesterday, the Democratic Party’s floor leader even declared all-out war against our party. It is unprecedented for the ruling party to declare all-out war against the opposition during the honeymoon period of a new president’s term."

Na Kyungwon, a People Power Party lawmaker who has been staging a sit-in for five days demanding the withdrawal of Kim’s nomination, said, "Kim is already a suspect under investigation," and added, "Nevertheless, the presidential office is pushing ahead with the appointment, choosing to complete a 'bulletproof cabinet' for the president while ignoring common sense and parliamentary cooperation."

The previous day, the People Power Party also held a so-called "People's Hearing" to scrutinize Kim's nomination in the name of the people. They organized this additional verification session, believing that the parliamentary confirmation hearing held on June 24-25 did not sufficiently vet Kim. Lawmaker Na is continuing her protest sit-in in front of the National Assembly’s main chamber, demanding both the withdrawal of Kim’s nomination and the return of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chairmanship from the Democratic Party of Korea.