President Lee: "The National Assembly Is So Slow That Work Can't Get Done"

On January 27, President Lee Jaemyung stated, "The National Assembly is so slow right now that it is impossible to get any work done," and instructed his administration to immediately implement preemptive measures at the executive level rather than waiting for legislation. While receiving a report on tax delinquency and non-tax revenue management plans, he emphasized, "Speed is crucial in administration, and we cannot afford to wait," ordering the establishment of a joint task force and an increase in personnel across ministries.

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During a Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House that day, President Lee discussed ways to enhance the effectiveness of delinquent tax collection and remarked, "The legislative process in the National Assembly is so slow that it's been almost eight months, and even the most basic government policy bills have only progressed about 20%." He continued, "Since we can't wait for legislation, we should push forward as quickly as possible. Even before that, each ministry can appoint people in its own name and dispatch them for joint management."

When National Tax Service Commissioner Lim Gwanghyun responded that passing legislation might be faster, President Lee raised his voice, saying, "Come on, that's not realistic... The National Assembly is so slow right now, who knows when (the legislation) will happen? Are you going to wait until then?" When February was mentioned as the timeline for the relevant bills, President Lee replied, "There's no guarantee it will happen in February. There are hundreds of bills pending in the National Assembly, and at this pace, who knows when they'll be passed?" and ordered immediate action.

Regarding the collection of delinquent taxes, President Lee stressed the need to instill the idea that people cannot get away with not paying taxes. He said, "Those who are delinquent continue to be delinquent, and major tax delinquents habitually evade taxes," adding, "We must not allow such people to benefit. We need to conduct a thorough investigation so that people realize they cannot live by dodging taxes."

President Lee also emphasized the need for speed regarding local governments' plans to expand their workforce for managing local tax and non-tax revenue delinquencies. When Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojoong reported a plan to increase personnel by 2,000 this year and 6,000 annually for four years to reach 20,000, President Lee pointed out, "If you delay it for four years, that means the problem will be left unaddressed during that entire period of expansion."

Additionally, President Lee, seemingly aware of the controversy over the costs associated with increasing delinquent tax collection staff, said, "Even if the additional labor costs and the extra taxes collected are equal, it's not a loss. Even if we increase the workforce so much that we lose 20-30%, it's still not a loss. It creates jobs." He added, "Local governments are afraid to act because they worry about being criticized for spending too much on labor," and called for active encouragement and exceptions at the central government level.

Meanwhile, regarding discussions on expanding the introduction of special judicial police, President Lee said, "There is too much illegality in our society. Breaking the rules and making money or gaining benefits has become so rampant that honest people are at a disadvantage." He added, "If it becomes established that 'if you break the law, you will definitely get caught and punished,' and 'it's hard to make money by breaking the law,' then such violations will decrease."

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