Kim Jong-in: "Seol Public Sentiment Shows Trend of Cutting Ties with Moon Administration"

Emphasizing That Public Anger Over Real Estate and Economic Issues Is Intensifying

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is attending the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, criticized the Lunar New Year public sentiment as a 'cut-off from the Moon Jae-in administration.'

On the 14th, Chairman Kim stated, "The Lunar New Year sentiment I heard and saw this holiday can be summed up as the trend of cutting ties with the Moon Jae-in administration."

Chairman Kim said, "In the past four years, the ruling power was supported four times in major elections, but there were many critical voices asking if they had done anything better than previous governments. Especially, there were many criticisms that the power abuse by the ruling party with 180 seats had gone too far. There were also warnings that the 180 seats would become poison to this administration," emphasizing, "Overall, the public's expectations for the administration have collapsed, and it feels like the bubble of the Moon Jae-in government is bursting."

Chairman Kim claimed that the angry public sentiment regarding economic areas such as real estate is intensifying. He explained, "Whether in Seoul or provinces, the public's alienation due to the failure of the Moon Jae-in administration's real estate policies is spreading further because of the rapid rise in housing prices and the jeonse (long-term deposit lease) crisis. There were also loud complaints about how the so-called 'job government' has worse job conditions than during the IMF financial crisis 20 years ago."

He also voiced sharp criticism regarding Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee and Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo. Chairman Kim said, "There were strong voices saying that the parliamentary confirmation hearings, which give a free pass to people who do not meet the public's standards and insult the people, should rather be abolished," and added, "There was also considerable public sentiment demanding the immediate resignation of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, who lacks both qualifications and character."

Regarding the government's COVID-19 guidelines, Chairman Kim said, "They blocked even the traditional Lunar New Year rites and New Year's bows, but as soon as the holiday passed, they allowed gatherings of immediate family members, which has drawn criticism as being illogical," and added, "Many people were outraged, asking who these arbitrary social distancing rules that still ban meals for groups of five or more, kill small business owners, and infringe on people's freedoms are really for."

He continued, "Since the current quarantine guidelines allow 30% attendance of the total capacity for in-person church services, it seems necessary to reestablish entry standards for cafes and restaurants in a similar way," and added, "We should also heed medical experts' remarks that the number of confirmed cases is not very meaningful. We need to shift focus to the number of critically ill patients and the availability of remaining emergency hospital beds."

Chairman Kim concluded, "As promised to the people, we will continue party reform as a party that walks with the vulnerable. We will steadily innovate as a progressive party leading changes in the era," and said, "The People Power Party promises to earn the people's trust in the new year and to correct various failures of the Moon Jae-in administration together with the people as a ruling alternative party."

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