Ruling and opposition parties clash over 'Democratic Meritorious Person Act'... Kwon Seong-dong calls it "a law for inheriting activist status," while Woo Sang-ho says "pushing as if expecting crumbs"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Democratic Party of Korea, which is re-pushing the 'Democratic Merit Recipients Treatment Act,' faced criticism from the People Power Party calling it a "law for hereditary status of activist backgrounds." In response, the Democratic Party rebutted, saying, "If you portray it as if they are demanding handouts, it is defamation against the democratic martyrs."

On the 24th, Woo Sang-ho, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party, strongly opposed the controversy over the Democratic Merit Recipients Act during a regular press briefing held at the National Assembly in the morning, stating, "The criticism by Kwon Seong-dong, the acting floor leader of the People Power Party, is a distortion of facts."

Woo Sang-ho, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the open meeting of the Political Retaliation Investigation Countermeasures Committee held at the National Assembly on the 18th, delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Chairman Woo said, "Do not deceive the public by implying that all former activists are beneficiaries," and added, "If it is difficult to pass the law, we will remove all problematic benefits. The demand is only for the state to officially recognize that my son or daughter sacrificed for democratization. That much is enough."

He also emphasized, "(The number of beneficiaries under the Democratic Merit Recipients Act) is at most 800 people, and in reality, not many have been recognized by the National Democratic Martyrs Association." Furthermore, he explained that many beneficiaries were unmarried at the time, so benefits passing on to children are also rare.

Chairman Woo pointed out, "Even by government estimates, the maximum cost is 1 billion won per year," and criticized, "It is incomprehensible to exaggerate this issue."

The Democratic Merit Recipients Act includes provisions such as exemption from middle, high school, and university tuition fees for children of democratization merit recipients, additional employment points for the recipients and their families, and long-term low-interest loan benefits for housing purchase or business purposes for either the recipient or one of their bereaved family members, as well as priority supply benefits for public and private housing. The Democratic Party had submitted related bills in 2020 and 2021 but withdrew them due to controversy over 'self-compensation.'

In response, Kwon Seong-dong, acting party leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, wrote on Facebook the previous day, "Isn't the Democratic Party ashamed?" He pointed out, "It contains extensive special privileges such as education, employment, medical care, housing, nursing, and loans. Activists and their children will literally be supported from cradle to grave. They are granting privileges according to life stages."

Kwon Seong-dong, Acting Leader of the People Power Party, is giving an opening remark at the party members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 20th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

He added, "If the state grants lifelong privileges, that is a status, and if those privileges are inherited by children, that is hereditary status," and claimed, "Though it is called treatment for merit recipients, it is essentially a 'law for hereditary status of activist backgrounds.'"

He particularly criticized the 'long-term low-interest loan benefits,' saying, "It is even absurd. Nowadays, most people find it difficult to get bank loans, and even if they do, they struggle due to high interest rates. They say they care about people's livelihoods, but their hearts are on the spoils." He continued, "Priority housing supply, personal nursing, and child-rearing support are unreasonable acts of legislating special privileges needed for their own life stages. If you want to be treated with respect, you must first protect your honor. Who are the ones who have tarnished the honor of the democratization movement? Weren't they the Democratic Party's own activist politicians?"

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