Yoo Seung-min: "Let's Settle the Disaster Relief Fund Dispute... Universal vs Proportional to Suffering"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min said on the 8th regarding the controversy over the recipients of disaster relief funds, "The core issue is whether to distribute the same budget equally to all citizens or to give two to three times more to those who are suffering."

On the same day, Yoo stated on his Facebook, "We must definitely discern right from wrong and reach a proper conclusion."

Regarding the issue of disaster relief fund recipients, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung has advocated for distributing disaster relief funds to all citizens in the form of local currency. In response, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun criticized, "Because it is urgent, recklessly distributing funds is neither wise nor fair. There must be a clear principle of supporting in proportion to the suffering."

Yoo evaluated this as "the first proper debate starting within the ruling party, which had previously allowed no criticism or dissent," and expressed agreement, saying, "My thoughts align with the Prime Minister's intentions."

Regarding President Moon Jae-in's remark that "the weight of the suffering caused by COVID-19 is by no means equal," Yoo said, "It likely means helping the people who are suffering, not giving disaster relief funds to all citizens." He added, "The President and the Prime Minister are ultimately acknowledging belatedly that it was a mistake to give 1 million won per four-person household to all citizens during the last general election."

He stated, "Since the start of COVID-19, we have fallen into the quagmire of 'K-polarization.' Even before the last general election, I have consistently argued that to heal this, we must adhere to the principle of helping the needy who desperately require state assistance using taxpayers' money."

Yoo criticized Governor Lee, saying, "Lee is trying to frame this issue as a matter of support or opposition to fiscal expansion by claiming that the Prime Minister is 'captured by bureaucrats advocating balanced budgets,' which is a typical tactic to confuse the issue."

He said, "No one opposes spending more national finances to help citizens suffering from K-polarization. The question is to discern what aligns with community justice and fairness, and what is a more effective economic policy."

He then sharply stated, "Instead of trying to confuse the issue, Governor Lee should clearly state his thoughts on the core question. This is said because Lee, who habitually shouts fairness and claims to support the common people, keeps making arguments that are neither fair nor just, do not help the common people, and have little effect on boosting our economy's consumption."

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