Lee Jae-myung Criticizes Namchang Valley Accident: "Lack of Public Will Threatens the People"

Shared article on 'Illegal Occupied Valleys' on Facebook on the 20th
Mentioned 'Clean Valley Resident Return Project' during Governor tenure

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 20th, "The absence of 'public will' to enforce rules threatens the lives of the people."

On the same day, Lee shared an article on Facebook about an incident on the 15th in Namchang Valley, Bukha-myeon, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, where a floodgate was opened due to an employee's mistake after being installed, causing two elementary school brothers to be swept away by the rapid current, but they were rescued by two high school students who happened to be nearby.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of France, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 18th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

He pointed out that the Namchang Valley accident "occurred due to greed to monopolize the shared property of the valley," adding, "The valley belongs to no one but everyone, and it is a heritage to be passed on to future generations." He continued, "Our current laws and rules reflect this principle, but due to old customs and the fact that some benefit, wrongful bad practices suppress agreed principles," mentioning the clean valley restoration project he enforced during his time as governor of Gyeonggi Province, despite opposition fearing it would cause conflicts, by forcibly removing illegal facilities.

Lee said, "The absence of 'public will' to enforce rules not only causes 'everyday corruption' such as overcharging and seat fees but also threatens the lives and safety of the people, as seen in recent accidents," adding, "It is the duty of politics and administration to ensure that no one can profit by breaking rules and no one suffers losses by following them, and to serve the common good even if it means enduring temporary inconvenience and loss."

Finally, he urged, "I ask the government and local governments to diligently fulfill their duties so that the beauty of clean valleys can be shared with future generations."

Meanwhile, on the 8th, Lee led the proposal of two bills: the 'River Act Amendment' and the 'Small River Act Amendment.' Kim Min-seok, chairman of the Democratic Party Policy Committee, and Kim Sung-joo, senior deputy chairman of the Policy Committee, were also named as co-sponsors. Both bills specify the government's management of illegal activities in rivers.

The River Act Amendment added the "right of the people to equally use rivers" and included provisions for river management authorities to inspect illegal activities in rivers and take necessary measures. The Small River Act Amendment allows river management authorities to impose fines and administrative sanctions for prohibited acts in small rivers and includes a clause requiring intensified crackdowns on illegal activities during the summer.

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