[Full Text] Joo Ho-young: "If Choo Mi-ae Cannot Serve as Special Prosecutor, She Should Resign"

People Power Party Negotiation Group Representative Speech... "Seeking True Cooperation"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized on the 8th regarding the preferential treatment allegations surrounding Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's son, saying, “The case involving Minister Choo's son is a simple case. So why has the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office failed to reach a conclusion for eight months?” and “Is it reasonable that the person involved in this case is at the top of the personnel and investigation command line?”

Floor leader Joo said in a negotiation group representative speech at the National Assembly plenary session that afternoon, “Minister Choo should volunteer for investigation by a special prosecutor or special investigator to prove her own words that she is ‘writing fiction.’ If she cannot do so, wouldn't it be appropriate for her to resign?”

He emphasized, “We want true cooperation from the ruling party. ‘Win-win-win politics that benefits the people and both ruling and opposition parties,’ and the African Bantu saying, ‘I am because you are,’ are truly meaningful proposals,” adding, “Now is the time to stop blaming others and dividing the people. Coexistence and cooperation begin with concessions and compromises from those in power.”

◆ Below is the full text of floor leader Joo's speech

"With the power of the people,

let us prepare tomorrow together."

Honorable citizens!

Speaker Park Byeong-seok, senior and fellow lawmakers!

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and cabinet members!

I am Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party.

□ Citizens, how anxious are you?

Citizens, how hard is it for you?

And how anxious are you?

The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, successive floods, and typhoons have intensified difficulties. I offer great consolation and urge you to endure and overcome a little more.

We changed our party's name to ‘People Power’ and started anew.

The people are the owners of this country, and only the united power of the people can protect this nation.

Our People Power Party is a party that gathers the people's strength to protect the people.

We are a party that becomes hope again for citizens weary from harsh realities and builds a country where the people are the owners through the power of the people.

□ COVID-19 testing methods must be expanded.

Honorable citizens!

First, I want to point out one thing for COVID-19 prevention.

Our country exports our self-diagnostic kits to over 100 countries worldwide. Yet, ironically, we cannot use these self-diagnostic kits ourselves because the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency did not apply for emergency use approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Self-diagnostic kits have relatively lower accuracy but cost only one-eighth of PCR tests and take about 15 minutes. Using self-diagnostic kits alongside PCR tests can help proactive COVID-19 prevention.

With our production capacity, we can produce up to 400 million self-diagnostic kits per month, enabling testing of the entire population within a month or two.

I hope experts promptly decide on concurrent use so that citizens can protect themselves and their families.

□ The government and ruling party should apologize for the medical sector strike.

The dedication of medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, made the government proud of K-quarantine.

The government and ruling party caused division even among frontline medical staff and brought confusion and anxiety to medical sites; they should apologize first.

It is fortunate that the medical sector strike has been temporarily resolved.

However, the refusal of medical students to take the national exam still leaves embers of conflict.

The government brought this turmoil upon itself by pushing unnecessary public medical school establishments and increasing medical school quotas without consulting the medical community. Following the agreement to discuss from scratch, the National Assembly should form a consultative body involving ruling and opposition parties and the government to discuss appropriate medical personnel training and optimal medical delivery systems.

□ We will take care of people's livelihoods with policies and be a strength to the people.

Citizens!

Self-employed people who sent away part-time workers and endured plummeting sales with loans are crying out, “We can no longer endure,” and “Whether we die from COVID-19 or starvation, it's the same.”

I was heartbroken to hear the news that two sisters in their 60s running a small entertainment business in Pyeongchon attempted suicide due to economic hardship caused by COVID-19, with one passing away.

The reality of self-employed people pushed to the brink is confirmed by various statistics.

Over 100,000 stores nationwide closed in the second quarter of this year.

The difficult employment environment for youth, who once submitted 100 resumes as a basic, has entered an employment ice age where there are no companies to submit resumes to. Due to worsening management, three out of four large companies have no plans for new hires, and bankruptcies among small and medium enterprises have increased. With no part-time jobs and no companies to apply to, youth face a bleak future.

I feel sorry even to say to the people, “Let's overcome this together.”

The People Power Party will do its best to protect livelihoods and hope.

Honorable citizens!

The ‘Expansion of Family Care Leave’ bill, the first party bill of the People Power Party, passed the National Assembly plenary session yesterday.

The bill allows working parents to use an additional 10 days of family care leave, and single-parent workers to use an additional 15 days.

I hope this bill will ease the worries of dual-income families and others.

Starting with this bill, the People Power Party will become the ‘real power of the people’ by taking care of livelihoods with necessary policies.

□ The People Power Party will prepare for the post-COVID era.

Honorable citizens!

In an era where COVID-19 has become daily life, communities are endangered. Future uncertainties grow, so who will comfort and solve the pain and alienation of the common people?

Ultimately, it is the role of our political circles.

How prepared is the government for the changed environment expected after COVID-19? How prepared is it for COVID-19 polarization, changes in the education system, and labor environment?

The public does not know how much preparation is underway or how many experts are involved.

Please prepare properly and inform the people in detail.

□ South Korea is not a mayfly nation.

Citizens!

South Korea is not a mayfly nation.

Even mayflies have a plan for the whole day, do they not?

President Moon Jae-in's term ends in just 20 months, but South Korea must continue beyond that.

Even a household plans income and expenditure; it is unreasonable for a country to have no standards or principles for managing its finances.

Among 36 OECD countries, only South Korea and Turkey have yet to adopt fiscal rules urgently needed. A single five-year term government must not jeopardize long-term national finances.

Previous governments operated soft fiscal rules regulating expenditures and revenues for balanced budgets. The Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations tried to keep national debt below 40% of GDP and prioritized repaying debt when surpluses occurred.

President Moon criticized during his Democratic Party leadership that “the national debt ratio broke the 40% fiscal soundness threshold for the first time ever. The country's treasury was empty within three years of the Park Geun-hye government.”

National debt increased by 180 trillion won under Lee Myung-bak and 170 trillion won under Park Geun-hye. At this rate, the Moon administration will leave over 410 trillion won of new debt to the next government in five years.

If not intending to ‘eat and run,’ shouldn't there be at least a rough plan on how to repay this debt presented to the people?

Despite worsening economic difficulties due to COVID-19, the administration has only boasted about borrowing throughout its term, leaving the burden to others. Are they planning to pass all this debt to our children?

The Kim Dae-jung government overcame the IMF crisis, and the Lee Myung-bak government overcame the 2008 global financial crisis. Though this government calls COVID-19 a national crisis, the previous crises were equally unprecedented hardships.

However, those governments did not recklessly spend the treasury and maintained fiscal soundness principles. The Moon administration recklessly breaks the boundaries of national finances maintained since the developmental era.

We cannot allow national debt to increase unchecked. Fiscal rules strictly limiting and managing debt growth must be introduced promptly.

Due to rapid aging and concerns about another pandemic beyond COVID-19, the golden rule of fiscal soundness must not be broken.

The government takes credit,

but the debt burden falls entirely on the people and future generations.

□ The social safety net for future generations has collapsed.

Our 2030 generation is the first since the founding of the nation to be poorer than their parents' generation. The world's largest low birthrate trend is deeply rooted in the anxiety of the 2030 generation. This government is passing on enormous debt that future generations cannot bear, using the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse.

It is uncertain whether our young generation can enjoy current health insurance benefits. The expansion of medical coverage under ‘Moon Jae-in Care’ accelerates the financial crisis of health insurance.

Since taking office, the Moon administration has expanded coverage for MRI, ultrasound, and higher-level hospital rooms as if giving favors. While coverage expansion is desired by all, funding is another matter.

Since 2018, health insurance has been running deficits due to ‘Moon Jae-in Care,’ with a 2.8 trillion won deficit in 2019. The sustainability of health insurance is at risk.

The government plans to raise health insurance premiums annually to cover deficits but has no concrete plans for managing the aftermath.

Isn't this populism?

The sustainability of social insurances like the National Pension and Government Employees Pension, which cover all citizens' old age, is also shaky.

As of June 2020, the National Pension Fund holds 752 trillion won. The government projects a fiscal deficit in 2041 and complete depletion of reserves by 2056. If the fund is exhausted in 36 years, where will today's 20s and 30s receive pensions?

Both health insurance and national pension urgently need reform. This government postpones unpopular policies and only picks favor-giving measures.

The previous government bravely reformed the government employees' pension despite strong opposition.

The Moon administration plans to increase government employees by 174,000 by 2022. For these additional employees, salaries, operating costs, and post-retirement pensions must be paid.

The government employees' pension recorded a 2.06 trillion won deficit last year.

The previous pension reform has been undone.

The employment insurance fund deficit reached 2.18 trillion won and is estimated to reach 3.26 trillion won by year-end.

Yet the president said he would lay the foundation for expanding employment insurance to all citizens without concrete measures. There is a saying, ‘Stretch your legs according to the space you lie on.’ Should the president recklessly announce economic policies for popularity?

The government budgeted 30.6 trillion won for ‘job creation’ next year, 5 trillion won more than this year. Despite spending 100 trillion won over the past four years, youth jobs have decreased, and youth unemployment hit a record high. The number of unemployed is 1,138,000, the highest ever.

Nevertheless, the government plans to invest 160 trillion won by 2025 to promote the ‘Korean New Deal’ to overcome the severe recession and expand social safety nets. This is just a repackaging of failed job policies, an ‘old deal’ without ‘new’ elements.

The Moon administration creates jobs destroyed by massive debt and budget input, but private and corporate economic vitality has not revived.

French President Macron, who took office around the same time as Moon, increased jobs and sparked youth entrepreneurship through labor and economic reforms.

The Moon administration should learn from France's escape from 30 years of low growth and high unemployment to become a European economic model through reforms.

Jobs and industries are created not by the government but by revitalizing the private sector and companies.

Ignoring innovation and regulatory reform and creating temporary jobs with government budgets only repeats failure.

□ Is there a diplomatic strategy after COVID-19?

The COVID-19 impact affects international order and diplomatic relations between countries.

Diplomacy is a crucial choice determining a nation's fate.

In a world order where nationalism, new regionalism, and protectionism intensify and the U.S. and China clash on all fronts, diplomacy and security must be pursued with clear expertise and national interest priority.

In this context, Minister of Unification Lee In-young's remark that “the ROK-U.S. alliance is a Cold War alliance” makes one question which country's minister he is.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson even stated, “Our alliance and friendship go beyond security cooperation.”

The ROK-U.S. alliance is a ‘comprehensive alliance’ covering military, security, economy, and public sectors.

Where is the Moon administration trying to go by distancing itself from the ROK-U.S. alliance?

Regarding North Korea's nuclear issue, the Moon government promoted the ‘Korean Peninsula driver theory’ but ended up isolated internationally due to incompetence and unprincipled diplomacy.

Sweet ‘verbal peace’ deceived the people, but true peace on the peninsula has become more distant. What remains is North Korea's advanced ‘nuclear’ and ‘missile’ capabilities and habitual ‘mockery’ and ‘threats.’

Is the future the Moon administration dreams of a ‘nuclear-free’ South Korea or an unstable South Korea where ‘nuclear crises are normalized’?

□ Let's abide by the law.

Yesterday, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon said,

“If you do not abide by laws passed by the National Assembly just because you did not support them, it is self-denial of parliamentary democracy.”

That is truly correct.

Then why have the Ministry of Unification and the Democratic Party not recommended directors for the North Korean Human Rights Foundation as stipulated by the North Korean Human Rights Act passed four years ago? And why has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not appointed a North Korean human rights ambassador for three years?

Why has the presidential special inspector, implemented in the previous government, not been appointed for over three years?

I hope Leader Lee Nak-yeon clearly answers how he will handle these two issues.

□ Climate change measures must go toward ‘decarbonization.’

We must never omit ‘climate change’ measures for our future. This summer's record-long monsoon and heavy rains are undoubtedly due to ‘climate change.’

Carbon dioxide emissions are the biggest culprit of global warming. Advanced environmental countries have introduced carbon taxes and created carbon emission trading markets.

If ‘COVID-19’ changed our daily lives, ‘climate change’ can destroy the conditions for our survival entirely.

The Moon administration's ‘nuclear phase-out policy’ goes against global climate change measures.

Solar and wind power generation is irregular depending on weather and climate. To compensate, coal and LNG power plants operate as backups. This was the case in Germany, which declared nuclear phase-out, and is the same here.

The Moon government is abandoning clean energy without fine dust and carbon emissions, nuclear power, and increasing coal and LNG power generation to compensate. Our greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise even under this government advocating the ‘Green New Deal.’

Climate change measures should be approached on the principle of ‘decarbonization or not,’ not ‘nuclear or not.’

□ The environmental destruction caused by solar power is a foreseen disaster.

During the three years of the Moon administration, solar panels were installed in 12,720 locations nationwide.

The destruction of forests we painstakingly created began with solar power construction. So far, 2.32 million trees have been cut down in forest areas nationwide, and green forests equivalent to 17 times the size of Yeouido have disappeared.

Cheap Chinese solar panels have exposed mountains and valleys nationwide to heavy metal pollution.

The side effects of the Moon government's renewable energy policy were clearly confirmed during this summer's monsoon. Even in July and August, when sunlight is strongest, solar power accounted for only 0.8% of total power generation.

Yet President Moon said, “We plan to expand solar and wind facilities more than threefold by 2025 compared to last year,” which is worrisome.

I propose a full investigation into the damage and power generation effects caused by solar power.

□ This flood disaster is clearly a man-made disaster.

The flood damage in the Seomjin River, Geum River, and Hwang River basins was caused by the failure to manage discharge volumes from Seomjin River Dam, Yongdam Dam, and Hapcheon Dam, so the government should apologize and take responsibility.

During flood season, pre-release should be done to increase dam storage capacity.

However, the Korea Water Resources Corporation did not release water until the last moment, then suddenly switched to maximum excessive discharge when inflow rapidly increased, flooding downstream areas.

□ We will implement real estate policies that the people can trust and predict.

The 23rd repeated failure of real estate policy is the culmination of the Moon administration's misrule and incompetence.

The government and ruling party forcibly passed the three lease laws in the last National Assembly. The bill intended to make up for 22 policy failures has procedural and content flaws. It is just another failure.

The government explained that landlords can raise rent within 5% after two years, but due to legislative errors, landlords must obtain tenants' consent to raise rent. This ‘legislative accident’ has chilled the market.

Homeowners withdrew listings, and Seoul's jeonse prices rose by 200 to 300 million won in a month. This law contradicts market principles and crushes the hopes of ordinary people trying to own homes.

This administration has overlooked the basic fact that ‘housing’ is a market good whose price fluctuates according to supply and demand.

They politicized real estate by dividing multi-homeowners and non-homeowners and treated real estate as ideology, not policy.

They labeled homeowners as speculators and even proposed unconstitutional ‘permit systems’ for housing transactions.

They imposed ‘tax bombs’ on homeowners, and the forcibly passed three lease laws have made ‘everyone live in monthly rent’ a reality.

The government plans to establish a real estate monitoring agency operating only in Venezuela in Latin America. We oppose creating an agency that monitors citizens' economic activities.

The 6% comprehensive real estate tax is predatory taxation that seizes real estate after 17 years. The People Power Party will continue efforts to amend this evil law.

The People Power Party will pursue real estate policies that the people can trust and predict, securing policy flexibility according to market principles and macroeconomic conditions.

We will sufficiently supply housing where people want to live and ease financial regulations so anyone can have a chance to own a home through effort.

We will supply various customized housing in convenient areas for young adults, newlyweds, university students, and the elderly. We will ease reconstruction regulations and increase housing supply in high-demand urban areas.

We will expand housing welfare policies for low-income vulnerable groups, increase public and long-term rental housing supply, introduce housing vouchers, expand financial support programs, and firmly guarantee housing rights for homeless vulnerable groups.

Above all, we will adjust transaction taxes to OECD average levels so homeowners are no longer intimidated by taxes and significantly reduce excessive holding tax burdens on single-homeowners.

□ ‘Separation of powers’ and ‘rule of law’ have been thoroughly destroyed.

The biggest fault of this administration is that it has destroyed ‘separation of powers’ and ‘rule of law.’

The National Assembly's original function is to check the executive. The ruling party with 176 seats not only fails to check the executive but acts as a rubber stamp and vanguard.

President Moon is trapped in the ‘presidential trap’ repeated by predecessors. He is isolated in the Blue House office and residence.

The president, who said he would have a ‘final debate’ if the people demanded his resignation, has yet to answer the 10 questions I posed on behalf of the people in July.

The president should not only speak unilaterally at cabinet and senior secretary meetings but sincerely answer the people's questions and grievances.

President Moon, who accused predecessors of being ‘uncommunicative,’

how many press conferences have you held so far?

The last bastion of democracy is an independent judiciary.

Belief in fair trials is important. But now people can predict the outcomes of major political cases.

The Supreme Court's remand of Governor Lee Jae-myung's case, remand of Mayor Eun Su-mi's case, prolonged trial of Governor Kim Kyung-soo, in short, ‘my side is innocent,’ ‘your side is guilty.’

Why is there still no news about the April 15 general election recount after five months without any reason?

Trust is broken in an instant,

but recovery requires tremendous time and effort.

Even when a bill was submitted to the National Assembly insulting the judge who approved the August 15 rally by name, Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo did not utter a word about undermining judicial independence.

The standard of trials is ‘law and conscience.’

But the Chief Justice encourages populist trials based on the rubber standard of ‘people's expectations.’

As for the prosecution, I am at a loss for words.

All investigations into power are brutally blocked. Prosecutors who flatter the regime are promoted unconditionally, while those who investigate even slightly against the regime are demoted.

The behavior of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is outrageous.

Appointing a former party leader from the ruling party as Minister of Justice, where neutrality is strictly required, was a grave mistake.

The case involving Minister Choo's son, as she said, is a simple case. So why has the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office failed to conclude it for eight months?

Is it reasonable that the person involved in this case is at the top of the personnel and investigation command line? The ancient Roman law principle states, ‘No one can be a judge in their own case.’

Minister Choo should volunteer for investigation by a special prosecutor or special investigator to prove her words that she is ‘writing fiction.’ If she cannot, shouldn't she resign?

Why are investigations into allegations of embezzlement by Yoon Mi-hyang of the Justice and Peace Foundation, the Ulsan mayoral election interference case, and sexual misconduct cases of Park Won-soon and Oh Keo-don sluggish?

Has any previous administration been like this?

No one is above the law.

Not only the Minister of Justice but also the president.

When there was wrongdoing, presidents' sons and brothers were arrested. Past presidents did not appoint close aides as Minister of Justice or dismantle prosecution teams to protect their sons or brothers. That was the backbone of South Korea's rule of law and a result of democratization.

This administration is destroying the rule of law built over the past 30 years in one fell swoop.

President Moon, Minister Choo, how will you bear the consequences?

Covering up with power does not make the truth disappear. Meanwhile, the truth grows stronger and will emerge with greater force.

We all must be more humble before the people, power, and time. It is said that heaven's net misses nothing.

‘Separation of powers’ and ‘rule of law’ have ‘fairness’ and ‘justice’ as their core values.

Many young people are angry and despair because those who shouted fairness and justice with their mouths trample on them and shamelessly make excuses.

Behind President Moon in the Blue House meeting room is the phrase ‘Like a country, justly.’

Are you truly acting like a country now?

Are you acting justly?

The people seeing this mock, “Justice, why are you coming out here?” Please truly act ‘like a country, justly.’

The appointing authority for Minister Choo is President Moon. Even now, please instruct Minister Choo to correct improper prosecution personnel appointments and order the Ministry of Justice and the minister to conduct proper investigations.

Under no circumstances can we allow the judicial system, which must be fair and impartial, to be privatized by power and collapse.

Therefore, our party proposes forming a Special Committee on Fair Judiciary in the National Assembly, the people's representative body, to properly investigate and correct the judiciary and prosecution's deviations and dysfunctions.

□ The promise of no candidacy in by-elections must be kept.

Due to crimes by metropolitan mayors Park Won-soon and Oh Keo-don of the Democratic Party, next year's by-election costs will reach 83.8 billion won (57 billion for Seoul mayor, 26.7 billion for Busan mayor, according to the National Election Commission).

When he was Democratic Party leader, the president said, “The party causing the by-election should not field candidates.” The Democratic Party's party rules Article 96, Paragraph 2 also states, “If a party-affiliated elected official loses their position due to serious corruption or misconduct, the party shall not recommend candidates in the by-election district.” This was created during President Moon's party leadership.

I hope President Moon takes responsibility for his words and that the promise is kept.

□ The People Power Party promises.

Honorable citizens.

We changed our party's name to ‘People Power’ and created a new platform. We are doing our best to regain the people's trust.

We will transcend division and conflict to become a responsible party that unites the people and takes responsibility for future generations.

We will protect people's lives in the COVID-19 crisis and safeguard the nation's finances and constitutional order.

We will be a leading social reform party that eliminates social inequality and discrimination and an economically pragmatic party that corrects economic failures caused by COVID-19 and income-led growth.

‘Walking with the vulnerable’ is a key direction of the People Power Party's platform.

A world where growth and distribution are fair! We will change social production systems and become the ‘People Power’ responsible for future generations.

A country where opportunities are open to all, a society where all workers are respected, economic innovation leading future changes, economic democracy walking with the vulnerable?this is the economic vision of the People Power Party.

Political reform made with the people, judicial reform for all?these are the basic policies pursued by the People Power Party.

A clean earth, a sustainable South Korea, a country where my life is free, a gender-equal society where both men and women are happy?this is the society the People Power Party aims for.

And we will surely protect diplomacy and security guaranteeing prosperity and safety for all.

The People Power Party's platform includes ‘basic income.’

Within the limits of national finances, we will establish social basic measures to eradicate absolute poverty and stabilize people's lives.

This is the promise the People Power Party makes to our people.

□ We want true cooperation from the ruling party.

‘Win-win-win politics benefiting the people and both ruling and opposition parties,’ and the African Bantu saying, ‘I am because you are,’ are truly meaningful proposals.

At moments of national crisis, the political circles must unite and cooperate for the people.

Now is the time to stop blaming others and dividing the people. Coexistence and cooperation begin with concessions and compromises from those in power. However, the government and ruling party always talk about cooperation but actually push through with force politics.

Cooperation and communication are essential to overcoming national crises.

Now is the time for cooperation.

I hope for true cooperation and genuine politics of coexistence, not just words.

The power of the people is great.

With the power of the people, let us prepare tomorrow together!

Our People Power Party will take the lead.

Thank you for listening.

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