Park Kwang-on "Next Year's Total Expenditure Growth Rate Should Be Adjusted to 6%... If Rejected, Opposition Prepares Joint Budget" (Comprehensive)

"Demand for Prime Minister's Dismissal and Cabinet's Total Resignation"
"Facing a Comprehensive Crisis of Democracy and Rule of Law"

Park Kwang-on, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol's overall governance and demanded a comprehensive reform during the negotiation group speech on the 18th. He warned, "If the president does not change now, not only will he remain a failed president, but this five-year term will be recorded as the worst democracy since the introduction of direct elections."

In his speech at the plenary session of the National Assembly, Park said, "We demand the dismissal of the Prime Minister and the resignation of the entire cabinet. The Democratic Party will first submit a motion to dismiss the Prime Minister," adding, "The president should start a full-scale personnel reform." He suggested, "That is the way to untangle the tangled political situation and to start communicating with the people. Appoint a unifying figure as Prime Minister after fully reflecting the opinions of the people and the National Assembly."

Park addressed the president, government, and the People Power Party, saying, "Five years may seem long, but it is short. There is not enough time even to do what must be done. No regime can defeat the people." He continued, "Prosecutorial rule may exert power temporarily, but it is not sustainable," advising, "We must not waste time with endless hostile acts driven by hatred and the desire for destruction."

Park stated, "If you want to remain a successful president, discard the current state governance policy, personnel, and system," pointing out, "The danger lines of the rule of law, common sense, and universal values have all been crossed." He warned, "The Republic of Korea is facing a total crisis of democracy and the rule of law."

He emphasized, "The constitutional solemnity and unlimited responsibility of the presidential term apply every single day from the first day to the last day of the term," adding, "Blaming the previous administration does not absolve responsibility."

Regarding the nomination of Shin Won-sik as Minister of National Defense, he said, "This crosses the last line against the people and the history of the Republic of Korea," questioning, "How can an extreme right-wing asphalt agitation unit commander be placed at the helm of national security?" Concerning the controversy over investigation interference in the case of Marine Corps Corporal Chae's death during flood recovery efforts, he promised, "The regime-level scapegoating will not succeed. We will clarify the truth and the reality of interference through a special prosecutor." He also stated, "We will clearly hold accountable for the Yangpyeong Expressway gate, Jamboree fiasco, media destruction, Itaewon disaster, and Osong disaster."

Park Kwang-on, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is delivering a negotiation group representative speech at the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 18th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Referring to the request to the prosecution to send the arrest warrant for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, outside the non-session period, he said, "Insisting on sending the arrest consent bill during the regular session is a political act. I am well aware that rejection is a path of protection and approval is a path of division, and either way, it is a political snare to corner the Democratic Party."

Park declared, "The Democratic Party is not a party to fall into such a flimsy snare," and added, "We will strengthen party unity based on the unwavering trust of the people and wisely proceed on the path of expansive integration."

He also pledged that if the budget for next year is not significantly increased, the opposition will prepare an independent budget. He proposed, "I suggest a bipartisan national fiscal management consultative body," emphasizing, "The total expenditure growth rate for next year's budget should be readjusted to over 6%." The government's originally submitted budget proposal for next year has a total expenditure growth rate of 2.8%, which is lower than previous years. Regarding this, Park said, "If the government and the People Power Party refuse, the Democratic Party cannot properly review the government proposal," and added, "We will prepare a new budget jointly with all opposition parties."

Besides criticizing the current government's policy direction, he proposed themes under "A Country for All," including recovery for all (compensation for self-employed and small business owners after COVID-19, respect for healthcare workers, strengthening the public healthcare system), and democracy for all (enacting a constitutional amendment procedure law, forming a special committee on constitutional amendment in the National Assembly, and electoral reform to promote entry of minority parties into the National Assembly).

Especially regarding the economy, Park emphasized, "We must make a major transition to an entrepreneurial state," stating, "The government should not only intervene when the market fails but also share the risks with enterprises and become an entrepreneurial government that creates new visions first." He also stressed, "We must achieve the world's second-largest R&D investment," adding, "The government's R&D investment should surpass that of Japan and Germany to leap to the second place alongside the United States." Regarding national finances, he reiterated, "I propose a bipartisan national fiscal management consultative body," and "The total expenditure growth rate for next year's budget should be readjusted to over 6%." He said, "If the government and the People Power Party refuse, the Democratic Party cannot properly review the government proposal," and "We will prepare a new budget jointly with all opposition parties."

Furthermore, Park said, "We must nurture the renewable energy industry as the next-generation growth industry to create a society safe from climate disasters, expand the foundation for economic prosperity, and seize the historic opportunity to leap as a global leading country," emphasizing, "Expanding climate finance significantly is not a choice but a necessity," and "By 2030, we must invest three to six times more finance than now."

Regarding human capital improvement, he stated, "The Democratic Party will aim to increase the proportion of good jobs for youth from 20% to 40%," and "We will develop human capital as the greatest growth engine of our economy."

On diplomacy and unification policy, he argued, "We must move away from submissive diplomacy toward Japan and the Korea-US-Japan trilateral diplomacy," and "We need to restore flexibility and balance in diplomacy." He urged, "We repeatedly call to firmly uphold and further strengthen the principle of Korea-centered diplomacy, which has been accumulated by the people and all governments."

Additionally, Park said, "The Democratic Party will do its utmost to implement various measures for women's safety, including punishing dating violence as domestic violence crimes and strengthening the protection system for stalking victims." He particularly expressed concern over the gender equality awareness and rulings of Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Lee Gyun-yong, warning, "If he fails to demonstrate suitability as Chief Justice that women and the public can accept through the confirmation hearing, he will not gain the consent of the people and the National Assembly."

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