[Q&A] 100 Days Since Inauguration, Yoon Jae-ok: "Restoring Parliamentary Politics, Extreme Supporters Are an Obstacle"

No Improvement, Feeling Ashamed and Devastated
Both Party Leaders Must Unite to Avoid Extreme Polarization

Yoon Jae-ok, the floor leader of the People Power Party, marked his 100th day in office by proposing, "Although it is quite late, let us now unite both ruling and opposition parties to create a National Assembly that 'advances even by an inch.'

On the 14th, Yoon held a press conference at the National Assembly and stated, "Since the Democratic Party of Korea is also operating an Innovation Committee, it would be good if advanced measures for party innovation and political reform are derived and we join the competition for the future and innovation together." He added, "When I took office as floor leader, the most important thing I emphasized was the 'restoration of parliamentary politics,' but I feel ashamed and frustrated because there seems to be no real progress."

Yoon said, "Looking at the legislative status of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's national agenda, there are 329 bills that need to be passed, and 197 are currently stalled in the National Assembly." He continued, "Although the negotiation environment may not be favorable due to the upcoming election, as the floor leader of the ruling party, I intend to do my best to smoothly resolve contentious issues such as the election law and next year's budget, and to promptly handle urgent livelihood bills."

He added, "I do not place much emphasis on anniversaries or special days, as the saying goes, il-il-yeo-sam-chu (一日如三秋, 'one day feels like three autumns'). I always think that I must fulfill the responsibilities given to me each day, avoid mistakes, and stay more vigilant. So rather than remembering the 100 days as particularly difficult, each day has been challenging."

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at a press conference marking his 100th day in office held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Below is a Q&A session.

- What were the major obstacles blocking the restoration of parliamentary politics during the 100 days, and how can they be overcome?

= Ultimately, I believe that the actions of extreme supporters have become obstacles to reaching significantly advanced agreements. The only way is for the floor leaders of both parties to unite with balanced thinking and avoid leaning toward either extreme.

- Do you agree with abolishing the minimum amount for unemployment benefits?

= Although there were concerns raised during the party-government process, there are many cases of repeated claims and very low reemployment rates. The employment insurance fund, which exceeded 10 trillion won in 2020, has dwindled to about 3.9 trillion won last year, raising concerns about depletion. There is also an opinion to lower the minimum amount for unemployment benefits somewhat, and I understand that this is being discussed by the Labor Reform Special Committee. We will gather various concerns from the field and strive to improve the system.

- Is there a plan to review the audit related to the Four Major Rivers Project by the Board of Audit and Inspection during the Moon Jae-in administration?

= We are taking it seriously, but first, the facts must be confirmed. There will be processes to follow, and both the government and the party will have their positions, so we will discuss and investigate the facts before making a judgment. However, I believe this is not an issue to be overlooked.

- Regarding the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway issue, the stance is that it will be handled at the standing committee level, but don’t you think a state audit would be better?

= A state audit requires two elements for bipartisan agreement: public demand and legal violations, and I do not think these conditions are met. Even in the report initiated during the Moon Jae-in administration, there was a suggestion that alternative reviews were necessary. The opposition's claims are unreasonable, and pushing the issue just because there is a family burial ground in Yangpyeong and land owned since previous generations is not appropriate. On the 27th, once Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Won Hee-ryong returns, the Land Committee plans to hold a standing committee meeting. If the opposition has questions, they can ask, and through the process of questioning and answering, the issue will be resolved properly.

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at a press conference marking his 100th day in office held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

- President Yoon Seok-yeol’s approval rating in the Honam region has dropped to single digits. Are there any policy measures to increase support in Honam for the upcoming general election?

= The concept of balance includes regional integration and resolving conflicts between regions. I believe that regional exchanges should be increased rather than focusing on cost aspects like exemption from preliminary feasibility studies. By expanding exchanges through railroads, we can politically mend the deep conflicts caused by past mistakes. Beyond elections, this is a challenge our generation must overcome, so regardless of election outcomes, our party must approach this more actively and make persistent efforts.

- Livelihood bills are piling up, but issues like Fukushima contaminated water and the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway remain unresolved.

= Because of this, normal National Assembly operations are not functioning. Livelihood bills are accumulating in standing committees. It is time to discuss and process at least some of these. However, I think the National Assembly is missing its duties, trapped in political strife and agitation. First, in the July session, I hope bills such as the protected childbirth system, the establishment of the Space Aviation Agency, and education-related bills on student loans, which the Democratic Party passed unilaterally in the Education Committee, will be quickly processed. Fiscal rules are also important, as are laws related to semiconductors, secondary batteries, and corporate succession, which should be legislatively supported during the 21st National Assembly.

- There is talk of a shake-up in your constituency of Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK). What is your view on this?

= The political scene in Daegu has become very impoverished, and political power has weakened significantly. Is a high replacement rate alone a good shake-up? Good people are needed for good shake-ups. I believe such shake-ups have a very negative impact on TK politicians. Good people should do good politics and create a virtuous cycle of solving constituency issues through people, but repeated occurrences of such events cause disadvantages to local residents. It also severely harms the status of local politicians. Is it appropriate for politicians in the region that supports our party the most to suffer such harassment? They worked the hardest during the last presidential election. We should consider whether it is appropriate to do this every election.

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