Yoo Seung-min: "Lee Jae-myung's Disaster Relief Payments Are Flattery to the World... Vote-Buying Ahead of the Presidential Election"

On December 18 last year, former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min gave a lecture on "The Future of Our Economy and the Role of the Social Economy" at Natural Dream Park in Goesan-gun, Chungbuk. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min criticized Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung on the 31st, calling his announcement to provide disaster relief funds of 100,000 won per resident a "typical case of sophistry."

On the same day, Yoo posted an article titled "Lee Jae-myung's Sophistry" on his Facebook, stating, "Sophistry refers to flattering people with distorted scholarship," and made the criticism.

Yoo said, "The wealth and income gaps among the 13.43 million residents of Gyeonggi Province are severe. The polarization and inequality in Gyeonggi Province are no different from the overall situation in our country," adding, "Then, who among the residents of Gyeonggi Province would accept the sophistry that insists this is a 'policy for the common people' by giving 100,000 won equally to everyone?"

He continued, "This is not a policy for the common people; rather, it is an anti-commoner policy that gives money meant for the common people to vested interests," and pointed out, "The claim that all residents of Gyeonggi Province have suffered universal damage, that is, the same damage due to COVID-19, is also against common sense."

He also stated, "The COVID-19 economic crisis is concentrating unemployment and poverty pains on low-income groups, low-wage workers in face-to-face industries, and small business owners," and argued, "For this reason, economic experts unanimously point out that the first round of disaster relief funds last year, which gave 1 million won to every household in the first to third rounds, was a wrong policy that violated fairness and justice and lacked consumption stimulation effects."

Regarding the reasons why Governor Lee is implementing such policies, Yoo said, "First, it is a vote-buying act ahead of the presidential election. Malignant populism," and "Second, Lee wants to lead disaster basic income toward the basic income he advocates." He then criticized Lee, saying, "It is not even scholarship gone astray," and "He is merely flattering people with sophistry that defies common sense."

Earlier, on the 28th of last month, Governor Lee announced at a press conference titled 'Detailed Payment Method for the 2nd Gyeonggi Province Disaster Basic Income' that he would provide the 2nd disaster basic income of 100,000 won per person to all residents to overcome the COVID-19 economic crisis.

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