Kim Jong-in: "Byeon Chang-heum, a 'Defective Candidate' Causing Public Annoyance... Nomination Should Be Withdrawn"

"If you think of confirmation hearings as mere formalities... it invites greater trouble"
"Social distancing level 3, no effect if timing is missed"
"Proposal for urgent parliamentary halt... minimize debates and public hearings"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, stated on the 21st that regarding Byeon Chang-heum, the nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, “It would be common sense to immediately withdraw the nomination of such a defective candidate who provokes public anger and frustration.”

Chairman Kim issued a statement on current issues in the afternoon, saying, “When I first heard about nominee Byeon’s reckless remarks, I doubted my ears. Even the colleagues of Kim from Guui Station demanded the withdrawal of the nomination,” and added, “He also made outrageous remarks defining residents of large housing complexes as so-called ‘poor people’ who should not even dine out. It is truly outrageous.”

Chairman Kim said, “The next Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has the grave responsibility to calm the angry public sentiment regarding real estate,” and criticized, “There is growing public suspicion about why someone who hurls curse-like reckless remarks at the people must be appointed to such a position. There are even intense criticisms that the ruling power really regards the people as dogs and pigs.”

Chairman Kim urged, “President Moon Jae-in and the ruling party should listen to the angry public sentiment that having a figure like nominee Byeon stand before the National Assembly’s confirmation hearing itself is a national insult,” and warned, “If they again treat the confirmation hearing as a mere formality, ignore public opinion, and forcibly proceed with the appointment, they will be inviting even greater disaster.”

Regarding the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Chairman Kim criticized, “The frustrating reality is that the vaccine, which can be called a game changer in the current situation, has no known start date for inoculation,” and added, “Many citizens are angry at Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun’s remark that the vaccine contract was delayed because the number of confirmed cases was low.”

Chairman Kim stated, “The government has caused a failure in quarantine by creating a ‘three no’s’ situation of no vaccines, no hospital beds, and no doctors amid self-praise of K-quarantine and complacency,” and emphasized, “The government should honestly and transparently disclose the current crisis situation, including the status of vaccine procurement, and do its utmost to prepare alternatives even now.”

Chairman Kim said, “Despite the implementation of social distancing level 2.5 on the 8th, the spread of COVID-19 has not stopped. If the timing for level 3 is missed, it will be ineffective, so I hope the government makes decisions based on scientific expert judgment rather than political considerations,” and proposed to the Speaker of the National Assembly a “National Assembly emergency pause,” including “a full COVID-19 test for all National Assembly residents, installation of temporary screening clinics within the National Assembly, and minimizing meetings such as forums and public hearings,” noting that confirmed cases continue to appear daily in the National Assembly as well.

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