Kim Jong-in Meets Senior Lawmakers: "Government and Ruling Party Are Intoxicated with the Status Quo... Let's Move Toward the Future"

Published 10 Jun.2020 12:06(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 10th, Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Future United Party, who met with senior lawmakers, demanded innovation, saying, "The government and ruling party are intoxicated with the status quo. Let's move toward the future."

Kim Eun-hye, the spokesperson for the United Party, stated to reporters at the National Assembly Communication Office right after the Emergency Committee Chairman-senior lawmakers meeting that Chairman Kim made such remarks. She said, "During the meeting, there was a candid discussion between Chairman Kim and senior lawmakers about the party's crisis-overcoming innovation tasks," adding, "The main issue was how to move forward into the future."

At this meeting, Chairman Kim reportedly said, "The government and ruling party are intoxicated with the status quo. Let's move toward the future. Let's focus on developing policies that give hope to the people." He also requested, "As a capable party leading the Korean economy, let's build trust," and "If you think the Emergency Committee's content is unclear or the direction is strange, please feel free to express your opinions at any time."

It is also known that there were critical remarks about Chairman Kim's 'departure from conservative ideology' during the closed-door meeting. Spokesperson Kim said, "Chairman Kim's remarks have not changed from the past," and added, "He does not forget the basics and does not deny the fundamental values of conservatism. The reason for the party's existence is to meet the people's demands according to changes in the times, and Chairman Kim's point is that we should align with the practical wishes and demands of the people rather than ideological debates."

Spokesperson Kim conveyed on-site remarks, saying, "Currently, massive government finances are being injected, but economic policies relying on finance have limitations. If the national debt ratio compared to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reaches around 50%, international credibility will fall, and a downgrade of our credit rating is inevitable. There were also skeptical remarks about whether the current government has the capability to manage such a situation."

Senior lawmakers also proposed alternatives for post-COVID economic policies. Spokesperson Kim explained, "As practical examples for the future, there was a proposal from senior lawmakers to set up a bulletin board that can predict changes in three areas: public health, economy, and society," adding, "We will discuss this at the Economic Innovation Committee."

Additionally, Spokesperson Kim conveyed, "Some senior lawmakers positively evaluated the fact that the party presented future tasks and practically proposed an agenda beyond ideological debates."