Democrats: "Yoon's Policy Speech, the Ultimate Self-Denial in Constitutional History... Contradiction of Slashing Livelihood Budget"

Criticizing Yoon's Policy Speech, Emphasizing 'People's Livelihood First Budget'

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is delivering opening remarks at the 'Supreme Council Meeting People's Podium - Household Debt and High Interest Rates Edition' held at the National Assembly on the 26th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Junyi] The opposition leadership raised their voices in criticism on the 25th regarding the president's policy speech on next year's budget proposal, calling it "the pinnacle of self-denial in constitutional history." They focused on the government's refusal to cooperate with the opposition and the reduction of welfare budgets.

Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at the party's supreme council meeting on the 26th, "They clearly expressed their intention to continue politics of confrontation and hostility by kicking away the last chance to open the door to cooperation and unity."

He said, "Even Speaker Kim Jin-pyo repeatedly requested the president to apologize and express regret to normalize the National Assembly after President Yoon Seok-yeol insulted the opposition, but it was flatly rejected," adding, "He also added the absurd argument that 'there was nothing to apologize for.'"

He continued, "I was shocked by the shameless lies," and pointed out, "What made me even angrier was the president's arrogant attitude of not admitting mistakes and not knowing how to apologize."

Regarding next year's government budget proposal, Floor Leader Park said, "The annual budget is not a simple number. It contains values and philosophy, and policies and philosophy can be seen," adding, "It seems they do not see the economic situation with red lights and the rapidly changing economic conditions."

He added, "It is contradictory to create a tax revenue shortage, talk about fiscal soundness, and cut the livelihood budget," calling "welfare for the vulnerable nonsense."

Floor Leader Park emphasized, "The Democratic Party will definitely block the 60 trillion won ultra-rich tax cuts and the over 1 trillion won budget for relocating the presidential office," and said, "We will fulfill our responsibility with livelihood priority budgets such as job creation for the elderly and public jobs."

Jeong Cheong-rae, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, attended the 'Supreme Council Meeting People's Podium - Household Debt and High Interest Rates Edition' held at the National Assembly on the 26th and made remarks regarding the welfare budget proposal. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the same day, Supreme Council Member Jeong Cheong-rae also said, "The 2023 budget formulation by the Yoon government is a budget formulation without blood or tears," citing examples of reduced or cut budgets in the government proposal. These include the complete cut of the budget for supporting the issuance of local love gift certificates, a reduction of 61,000 public senior jobs, and a 5.6 trillion won cut in the budget for rental housing for low-income groups?all welfare-related budgets for youth, the elderly, and small business owners.

Supreme Council Member Jeong said, "How could they have so ruthlessly picked out the youth budget, elderly budget, and budgets for ordinary people and small business owners like a pinpoint? This is a heartless regime," and urged, "I hope it returns to a warm and good government where human blood flows."

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