"Are Measures Being Taken Against Rice Price Collapse?"... Lee Jae-myung Focuses on 'Livelihood Details'

14th Supreme Council Holds Open Debate-Style Meeting
Discusses Various Agendas Including Rice Prices, Electric Vehicles, and North Korean Nuclear Issue
Recent Intensified Prosecution and Police Investigation Pressure Seems to Have Impacted

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is under investigation pressure, has begun to strengthen his defense stance by focusing more on ‘livelihood issues.’ His strategy is to gain public support by reinforcing the image of a ‘competent opposition leader’ instead of ‘judicial risk.’ At the Supreme Council meeting held on the 14th after the Chuseok holiday, he brought up various livelihood agendas such as expanding support for culture and arts, normalizing rice prices, electric vehicle passing, and North Korean nuclear provocations, conducting a public debate-style meeting for the first time.

In his opening remarks at the Supreme Council meeting that day, Lee mentioned current issues in various fields and urged the preparation of countermeasures. Until now, the Supreme Council meetings had only presented one or two current issues and criticized the government, but at this meeting, he mentioned various agendas and proposed concrete alternatives. In particular, he asked additional questions about other members’ remarks on current issues, inquiring about the current progress and what measures are needed.

After the opening remarks, he asked Kim Sung-hwan, the Policy Committee Chair, “Rice prices have plummeted seriously, so why is the government not implementing market isolation, and what is the Democratic Party’s response?” In the follow-up questions, he urged the members to respond actively, saying, “Shouldn’t you at least go to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and speak to them?” Regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, he also said, “How much will a policy solely focused on sanctions and pressure help establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis?” and urged, “There is a need to present bold solutions to bold initiatives.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This is interpreted as an effort to create an image of competence by emphasizing livelihood and the field more. It is reported that he also emphasized field visits to lawmakers at a dinner with the floor leaders the day before. A lawmaker who attended the dinner explained, “Lee said that our party needs to expand its contact points with the field,” and added, “He said that each lawmaker individually should go into the public, have conversations with the people, and spend more time breathing with them.”

His recent five proposals for a summit meeting with the president are also seen as attempts to deliver messages to the public through direct face-to-face meetings with President Yoon. Previously, Lee demonstrated his presence with pointed remarks during successive visits to the National Assembly, including to Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party and acting party leader, and Han Duck-soo, Prime Minister. In particular, he preemptively raised agendas by pointing out issues such as negotiations over the comprehensive real estate tax with the ruling party and government budget problems. At the meeting that day, Lee indirectly criticized the investigation pressure by urging the government, “The government should not waste national capabilities too much on political strife, opposition suppression, and elimination of political rivals, but rather focus more on livelihood policies that improve people’s lives, establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, and industrial development.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This background appears to be influenced by the recent visible investigation pressure from the prosecution and police. The day before, the police notified the prosecution of supplementary investigation results recognizing Lee’s alleged third-party bribery in connection with the ‘Seongnam FC sponsorship fund suspicion’ investigation. Earlier, the prosecution indicted Lee without detention on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act on the 8th, citing problematic remarks he made during the presidential election. In response, Park Beom-gye, head of the Legal Order Restoration Task Force under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, rebutted at the meeting that day, saying, “Seongnam FC’s use of advertising and promotional means is a legitimate promotional expense,” and “Failing to distinguish this from the Mir Foundation means this referral is extremely unjust.”

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