"Yoon Administration's Economic Report Card Fails"... Opposition and Prime Minister Han Deok-su in 'Verbal Clash'

"All Economic Indicators Red"
Prime Minister Han Deok-su "Clear Change in Direction"

On the second day of the National Assembly's government questioning on the 13th, the government and opposition clashed over the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's 'fiscal soundness' policy. The opposition emphasized that the current economic situation is facing a crisis and criticized the government for needing to prepare special measures, while Prime Minister Han Duck-soo rebutted these claims point by point and engaged in a heated debate with opposition lawmakers.

During the economic sector government questioning, the National Assembly continued to confront issues such as Japan's Fukushima contaminated water discharge, the special law on jeonse fraud, and the economic crisis. Questioners included Yoon Sang-hyun, Lee Heon-seung, Hong Seok-jun, and Jeon Bong-min from the People Power Party; Yoo Dong-soo, Uh Ki-gu, Joo Cheol-hyun, Min Byung-duk, Lee Dong-joo, and Lee Jung-moon from the Democratic Party; and Shim Sang-jung from the Justice Party.

The opposition launched an offensive against the current government's fiscal soundness policy. Democratic Party lawmaker Uh Ki-gu criticized Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, saying, "You do not do what you should, always blame the government, focus on fiscal soundness, and do irrelevant things," adding, "As a result, the economic report card is a complete failure."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, Prime Minister Han countered, "We have tried to reduce the impact of the 400 trillion won increase in debt over the past few years," to which lawmaker Uh replied, "What good is it if only the government survives while companies are dying?" He added, "This is a crisis situation. Aren't all indicators?production, consumption, investment, and exports?showing red lights? Are you talking about fiscal soundness while people are dying now?"

Prime Minister Han retorted, "Where did the Korea Electric Power Corporation's deficit come from? I hope you think about it again," and said, "The government that never raised electricity rates even once when international gas prices increased tenfold was your government (the Moon Jae-in administration)."

Prime Minister Han also reiterated his explanation regarding his previous response in the government questioning about the Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water, saying, "If it meets drinking standards, it can be consumed." He clarified, "I never said I would drink the contaminated water. I said I would drink the purified contaminated water because it meets the standards."

He further responded to opposition lawmakers who protested loudly in the plenary session by saying, "Please study more."

When People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun asked Prime Minister Han about the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's economic performance report card, Han emphasized again the 'fiscal soundness,' saying, "In the perfect storm-like situation our economy is facing, the government has clearly shifted its direction."

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