Kim Seong-hwan, Democratic Party Policy Committee Chair, Criticizes Yoon Seok-yeol Government as "Complete Mess"

"While the public asks to scratch their backs, the government is just scratching its thighs"
"Please untangle the knotted threads, even if it's now"

[Asia Economy Reporters Oh Ju-yeon and Park Jun-i] On the 28th, Kim Seong-hwan, the Policy Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, described the Yoon Seok-yeol administration in one word as "a complete mess."

Kim Seong-hwan, Chairman of the Policy Planning Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Policy Coordination Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 28th and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

At the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido that morning, Chairman Kim said, "There is a Korean expression 'eongmangjinchang,' which means a state where things are so tangled that it is impossible to make sense of them. Looking at the current Yoon Seok-yeol administration, that word fits perfectly."

He added, "The high inflation and high oil prices are making the economy difficult for ordinary people. Even though the economy is tough for the common people, large corporations and the four major bank holding companies posted astronomical profits in the first half of the year. Yet, the government is desperate to cut corporate taxes for these large corporations that are making the most profit during this period. If the capital gains tax threshold is raised to 10 billion won, the beneficiaries will be the owners of large corporations," he criticized.

He further stated, "Ordinary people are asking for help because their backs itch, but the government is scratching their thighs instead," sharply criticizing the government.

Regarding measures against the resurgence of COVID-19, he said, "There are 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and although they talk about 'scientific quarantine,' in reality, they are telling people to fend for themselves and practice voluntary quarantine. At times like this, government finances are needed, but they are cutting living support funds citing lack of money while offering tax cuts to large corporations, causing policy contradictions," he said.

On the government's response to Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from Fukushima, he pointed out, "By next spring, that contaminated water will reach Jeju Island, the southern coast, the western coast, and the eastern coast of Korea. Instead of conducting pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests, they are engaging in submissive diplomacy toward Japan and the United States," he criticized.

Chairman Kim emphasized, "The president should be taking care of the people's economy and said he would not interfere in party affairs, but there is evidence that he is involved in various matters. It is such a complete mess that it is not easy to figure out where to start unraveling the tangled threads, but I hope they will finally untangle them," he stressed.

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