Joo Ho-young: "Moon, Stop Just Saying 'Cooperation' and Increase Communication... Ruling Party, Return to a 'Consensus Parliament'"

Joo Ho-young Marks 100 Days, Launches Fierce Attack on Government and Opposition
"The People Are Giving Their Support Again" Amid Approval Rating Reversal

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, raised his voice toward President Moon Jae-in, asking, "What exactly is the 'cooperation' that the President talks about?" and urged for increased communication. He also demanded the ruling party to "return to the principle of 'parliamentary operation based on consensus'." Regarding the reversal in approval ratings, he emphasized that "the people are giving their support again" and vowed to embody the qualities of a governing party.

At a '100-day Inauguration Press Conference' held at the National Assembly main building on the 14th, Floor Leader Joo said, "The President and the ruling party relying solely on the 'power of the majority' and pushing unilateral dominance is a clear distortion of public opinion and a reaction against history."

He pointed out, "Through the ruling power's behavior, we are witnessing how democracy destroys itself. Parliamentary democracy, which is based on dialogue and compromise through majority power, is being destroyed, and democracy is being lost. This cannot be the cooperation that the President speaks of."

Joo cited the negotiation over the organization of the National Assembly with the Democratic Party of Korea over the past 100 days as the most difficult task, saying, "The 176-seat supermajority ruling party has oppressed the opposition with power and coercion, breaking down the practices of parliamentary democracy, cooperation, deliberative democracy, and parliamentary operation based on consensus that we have built since the 1987 system. We hope the ruling party will return to the principle and practice of 'parliamentary operation based on consensus' even now."

He continued, "As the floor leader of the main opposition party, I have upheld the principle of fighting based on the National Assembly. As long as the ruling party holds the 176 majority seats, situations where they push through by force may repeat, but we intend to uphold our principles."

Regarding the recent reversal in approval ratings, he said, "The people are finally giving their hearts back to us, who are walking step by step focusing only on the people. We will not be discouraged by helplessness or defeatism, and will strive to develop into a responsible governing party."

Floor Leader Joo emphasized, "We will continuously criticize, reflect, and plan new policies that surpass the government and ruling party. We will build an opposition party that is combative and confident, fights while negotiating, and is logically persistent and sharply critical."

He added, "With the upcoming political schedules, including next year's Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections, which have become a preliminary battle for the presidential election, there are many major variables ahead. I will fulfill my duty as floor leader to lay the foundation and groundwork for our party's victory."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.