"Clear Resentment and Betrayal Toward Moon Government and Democratic Party" Lee Jae-myung Expresses Concern Over Selective Disaster Relief Payments

"In Politics, Worry More About Injustice Than Poverty"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung holding a press conference appealing to the public regarding the metropolitan area outbreak of the novel coronavirus on the morning of the 20th of last month at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, expressed concern on the 6th regarding the government and ruling party's decision to selectively provide disaster relief funds, saying, "In a democratic republic where the people are the owners, I am very afraid of the aftershocks caused by discrimination forcibly imposed by representatives during a crisis where everyone is struggling and anxious."

In a post on his Facebook on the same day, Lee said, "I clearly see the conflicts and confusion caused by division, the sense of alienation caused by exclusion, and the resentment and betrayal toward the Moon Jae-in administration, the Democratic Party, and further toward the nation and community spreading like wildfire."

He also lamented, "I feel that the entrenched corrupt forces and malicious conservative media are smiling behind the scenes, aiming for a comeback."

Lee referred to the phrase "불환빈 환불균 (不患貧 患不均)," meaning "The people are angry not at poverty but at unfairness." He explained, "Mencius from China 2,400 years ago, and Dasan from the Joseon Dynasty 250 years ago, taught that 'the people are more angry at unfairness than poverty, so politics should worry more about unfairness than poverty.'"

He added, "Even if selective support is inevitable, I earnestly hope that complaints, conflicts, and damage to solidarity will be minimized through meticulous and clear criteria and strict screening."

Furthermore, he expressed sympathy, saying, "I saw a post about a young husband who found life too difficult, sold his wedding ring with his wife, came back, turned his body the other way, and embraced his wife’s shoulder as she cried endlessly through the night. It is highly likely that people like this young couple, whose circumstances suddenly worsened, will not be eligible for this support."

He continued, "Although it may be meaningless to say this to that young couple now, I want to tell them, 'Still, the sun will rise again tomorrow.' I am sorry."

Previously, Governor Lee had insisted that the second disaster relief fund should be provided to all citizens at 300,000 won per person. However, the government and ruling party settled on selective distribution. In response, Lee proposed a compromise plan, such as providing at least 100,000 won per person in local currency.

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