Kim Ki-hyun "President's New Year's Address Lacks Any Message of National Unity... Arrogance and Obstinacy"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, criticized the president's New Year's address, saying, "The message of national unity is nowhere to be found."

On the 11th, Kim stated on Facebook, "President Moon Jae-in's New Year's address, which I hoped might be different, was as expected."

He emphasized, "Even though it is practically the last New Year's address during his term, the message of 'national unity' is completely absent, and it is a declaration of arrogance and stubbornness that shows no intention to change the failed 'my way' style of governance. It seems he has completely given up on uniting with the opposition and the people from opposing camps."

Kim criticized, "It is frustrating to see him just making loud boasts with rosy rhetoric. There was no apology at all for the government's incompetence and irresponsibility regarding political quarantine measures for COVID-19 and delays in securing vaccines, and he suddenly declared that our economy will recover to pre-COVID levels within the first half of this year."

Regarding inter-Korean issues, he pointed out, "The core demand for 'North Korean denuclearization' was omitted, and instead of warning about North Korea's current provocative moves, such as the development of new strategic weapons like tactical nuclear weapons and nuclear submarines, the speech was filled only with terms begging for peace. Believing that peace will come through agreements that are nothing more than pieces of paper without the most important principle of 'North Korean denuclearization' is nothing but a fantasy."

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