Justice Party "Yoon Should First Inspect Pharmacies Running Out of Cold Medicine Stock, Not the Office Relocation Site"

"Office Relocation, No Measures for Security Gaps and Budget Issues"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 20th, the Justice Party criticized President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's announcement to relocate the presidential office to Yongsan, stating, "A hasty announcement driven solely by the president-elect's will without sufficient prior consultation and preparation of measures is highly concerning," and added, "The place the president-elect should be going to right now is not the site for the office relocation but the COVID-19 pharmacy where cold medicine stocks have run out."

Lee Dong-young, the Justice Party's chief spokesperson, said in a written briefing that, "We agree with the intention to end the era of an imperial presidency and strengthen communication with the people," but pointed out, "However, related experts, opposition parties including the People Power Party, and even personnel within the transition team have submitted various concerns and opposing opinions regarding security gaps, citizen inconvenience, and budget issues."

Lee stated, "Whether the purpose is communication with the people or the relocation itself, the original intent has effectively been undermined, and President-elect Yoon must first disclose measures addressing the various concerns and problems." He continued, "It is extremely disappointing that the president-elect's first national policy move is not about livelihood or COVID-19 measures but a debate over whether the presidential office should be in Gwanghwamun or Yongsan."

He noted, "Due to the rapid surge of Omicron cases, pharmacies have run out of cold medicines and fever reducers," highlighting the serious situation with a sharp increase in critically ill patients and record-high daily deaths. He emphasized, "The place the president-elect should be going to is not the site for the office relocation but the COVID-19 pharmacy where cold medicine stocks have run out."

Lee concluded, "While relocating the presidential office for better communication with the people is important, I hope it is remembered that the lives, safety, and livelihoods of the people who need to be communicated with must come first."

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