Joo Ho-young "Concerned Lee Nak-yeon Might Also 'Only Talk About Cooperation'... Calls for Correction of Real Estate Policy"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, expressed concern on the 31st toward Lee Nak-yeon, the newly elected leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "I worry that he will engage in 'cooperation in words only,' like President Moon Jae-in or the previous leadership," and added, "Demanding corrections on real estate policies and announcing changes are necessary to confirm at least minimal sincerity."

Joo attended an emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly that morning and stated, "While I place expectations on Leader Lee, who said he would 'keep principles but also make concessions where necessary,' I am also concerned," expressing his views.

He said, "Despite Leader Lee's willingness for cooperation, I cannot help but harbor deep doubts about how feasible it is given the current political structure the Democratic Party faces," and added, "I am worried about how much room for maneuver the Democratic Party and Leader Lee have for cooperation within the fiercely pro-Moon Jae-in faction that supports the president and the party-government relationship."

He emphasized, "If they do not intend to show an attitude of cooperation in words only, they must demand corrections from President Moon regarding economic policy failures, such as real estate policies, which have faced strong public criticism, and announce changes in policy direction," adding, "Only then will there be minimal sincerity."

Regarding the conflict between the government and the medical community that led to a strike, Joo pointed out, "Starting tomorrow, the practical exam for the national medical licensing exam will begin, but many examinees are giving up on the test," and warned, "If the conflict is not resolved by today, it will become increasingly difficult to solve the problem."

He criticized, "The government's unilateral push has caused this situation," and said, "Nevertheless, the government is not trying to find better solutions through dialogue and compromise but is trying to suppress it with the power of authority. The government is the party that pushed aside the doctors who devoted themselves to overcoming the first COVID-19 crisis," sharply criticizing the government.

Joo stressed, "The government, which raised the issue, must promptly resolve it as part of taking responsibility, and shifting the blame onto the doctors is a cowardly act of shirking responsibility," and added, "The establishment of public medical schools and the issue of medical school quotas are not matters to be decided lightly, as improper planning can cause other side effects. I strongly urge the government to make concessions."

He also strongly criticized the arrest of Heo In-hoe, former director of the Green Dream Cooperative and a leading figure of the '86 Generation' activist group, on charges of soliciting specific companies to supply to the National Assembly.

Joo said, "It has been revealed that state budgets were manipulated at the discretion of company brokers, with ruling party lawmakers also complicit. This is a criminal act that goes beyond moral hazard and could amount to third-party bribery," and added, "I expect a thorough investigation of the standing committees and ruling party lawmakers to uncover the truth. Given the situation where investigations into the administration are being swept under the rug and those who conducted investigations are being sidelined, the public and I will watch closely how this matter concludes."

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