With "Public Anxiety Due to Misinformation" vs Opposition's "Despair Over 'Munppa Chance'" Divided Political Circles Over 'InGukGong Regularization'

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) announced that it will directly employ about 1,900 security screening personnel as security guards, intensifying political conflicts surrounding the issue.

The ruling party called for restraint, saying, "Misinformation is confusing the public," while the opposition parties launched fierce attacks on the Blue House and the ruling party using expressions such as 'Moonppa chance' and 'lottery employment.'

Some job seekers have expressed their anger over the IIAC incident through the so-called 'Broken Pen Movement,' sharing photos of pencils broken in half, saying, "Studying hard is useless."

The United Future Party has been launching relentless attacks on the IIAC incident. On the 25th, Kim Jaeseop, a member of the party's emergency committee, held a press conference at the National Assembly and claimed, "Young people who were frustrated by the dad chance in the Cho Kuk incident felt despair due to the Moonppa chance in the IIAC incident." 'Moonppa' refers to the staunch supporters of President Moon Jae-in.

He added, "This IIAC incident is not simply a recruitment issue but could escalate into a problem concerning the entire administrative procedures of the Moon Jae-in government," and said, "From next week, the emergency committee plans to gradually respond to this issue."

When asked if they were criticizing the regularization of non-regular workers itself, Kim replied, "We are criticizing the unfairness in the process of hiring regular workers, not opposing the conversion to regular positions itself."

On the same day, Kim Eunhye, the United Future Party's floor spokesperson, continued strong criticism of the Moon Jae-in government through a statement.

She said, "This government, with 22 hasty real estate policies, has crushed the dreams of the 30s and 40s who want to own a home, and by sticking to the first field pledge to make the public sector zero non-regular workers during its term, it is dropping bombs on the youth employment front," raising her voice, "Why make young people rely on luck and lottery to get regular jobs they want through effort?"

She continued, "A government that takes away umbrellas when it rains. The Moon Jae-in government is sending a message of despair to our society that living diligently is useless," adding, "The prerequisite for just outcomes is guaranteed equal opportunity and a fair process. What the people want is a society where just results and rewards follow effort, not a lottery society grown from the tears of youth."

On the other hand, the Democratic Party leadership called for media restraint, saying, "Misinformation is making the public anxious."

At the Supreme Council meeting on the morning of the 26th, Representative Lee Hae-chan said regarding the IIAC incident, "Misinformation is greatly unsettling the public. Accurate responses and fact-based reporting are urgently needed," and pointed out, "Various issues are causing public confusion due to misinformation."

Some members of the Democratic Party have also expressed support for the regularization of IIAC non-regular workers.

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Doo-kwan wrote on his Facebook that day, "I absolutely support the regularization of IIAC non-regular workers," adding, "I understand the sense of deprivation among young people facing a severe 'employment cliff' in a reality where finding good jobs is increasingly difficult. However, the logic that non-regular workers are stealing future jobs from job seekers is not only unfair but highly discriminatory."

He argued, "It is rather unfair that those who studied a bit more and passed the written exam receive about twice the wages of non-regular workers," and said, "The security guards are not part-timers but people who have been trained and have worked in the specialized field of airport security for several years."

Democratic Party lawmaker Ko Min-jung also advocated for 'job normalization.' In a post on her Facebook on the 25th, she said, "While I understand the feelings of young people in a reality where entering public enterprises is as difficult as winning the lottery, the essence of this issue starts from the 'distorted reality overflowing with non-regular workers suffering all kinds of discrimination.'"

She pointed out, "Even when doing the same work at the same workplace, wages and treatment differ, and non-regular workers have even taken on jobs responsible for the lives and safety of the public," emphasizing, "We must return to the common sense that anyone with ability and will should be guaranteed the right to work stably."

The anger of young people does not seem to be subsiding. Some job seekers have launched the 'Broken Pen Movement' to protest the IIAC incident. This movement is a campaign where people opposing IIAC's decision post hashtags such as '#IIAC incident' and '#Broken Pen Movement' on their social network services (SNS).

Meanwhile, the aftermath of the IIAC incident is also fierce on the Blue House's national petition board. A petition opposing the regularization of non-regular workers at public enterprises, posted on the Blue House petition board on the 23rd, gained over 200,000 supporters within a day on the 24th, meeting the official response requirement of the Blue House.

The petitioner said, "This conversion to regular positions at Incheon International Airport is really shocking because more people are being converted to regular workers than the number of regular employees," and pointed out, "What crime have job seekers who build specs and study to enter here, as well as current employees, committed? Is taking away the places of those who work hard equality?" The petition had gathered about 242,000 supporters as of 1 p.m. on the 26th.

Experts cite 'unfairness' as the reason why the 20s and 30s express anger over the IIAC incident. Professor Kwak Geumju of Seoul National University's Department of Psychology analyzed, "From the job seekers' perspective, they feel that fairness in our society is disappearing," adding, "They feel that the opportunity for employment was suddenly given to others, so they think the IIAC incident is unfair."

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