Opposition Criticizes President Moon's Busan Visit as 'Election Interference'... "Grounds for Impeachment"

Joo Ho-young, People Power Party Floor Leader, "Review of Election Law Violation Charges After President's Schedule Ends"

President Moon Jae-in attended the 'Southeast Mega City Construction Strategy Report' held in Busan on the 25th. He inspected the planned site of Gadukdo Airport from a fishing guidance vessel and received a related report from Acting Busan Mayor Lee Byung-jin on board. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Bo-ryeong] The opposition parties have criticized President Moon Jae-in's visit to Busan as 'election interference' with the Busan mayoral by-election in mind. The People Power Party indicated that it could be grounds for impeachment and said it would also review whether there was a violation of election laws.

On the 25th, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated at an emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly that day, regarding President Moon's visit to Busan, "He is rolling up his sleeves and preparing to aggressively engage in election activities."

On the same day, President Moon went down to Busan, stopped by Bujeon Station to check the progress of the Southeast Mega City project, and inspected the candidate site for the Gadeokdo New Airport. This was President Moon's first visit to Busan in over a year since attending the Busan-type job coexistence agreement ceremony in February last year.

Floor leader Joo said, "I don't know if they are uneasy even with the disaster relief fund offensive, but this is an election campaign to support the Democratic Party with the Gadeokdo New Airport and the Southeast Mega City," adding, "The Blue House says it is a Korean New Deal field visit unrelated to the election, but anyone can see this is the president's excessive election interference."

He continued, "Stop the clear illegal election interference at the regime level," emphasizing, "We must not forget that disrupting election order and blatant election interference are grounds for impeachment. The People Power Party will review allegations of election law violations after the president's schedule ends."

Emergency committee member Kim Hyun-ah said, "The president's support for the by-election is heartbreaking," adding, "It seems they see regime extension as the best response to the lame duck period." Another emergency committee member, Kim Byung-min, commented, "The president's steps ahead of the April by-election look desperate."

People Power Party lawmaker Seo Byung-soo described President Moon's visit to Gadeokdo as "an election campaign mocking the citizens of Busan." Seo said, "Isn't it that government officials give the disease, and the president gives the medicine?" adding, "If they want to give proper medicine, there is no need to come down to Busan. They could just instruct the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to start the Gadeokdo New Airport immediately, skipping all procedures." The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reportedly conveyed a negative stance on the Gadeokdo New Airport to the National Assembly earlier this month, expressing concerns that the new airport project budget could reach up to 28 trillion won.

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun also criticized on Facebook that day, "The president is going down to Busan under the pretext of receiving a report and is unpacking a gift bundle called the Gadeokdo New Airport," adding, "He is deliberately breaking the law for political use and intends to start business before passing through the National Assembly."

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