Kim Yong-tae Chairman Delivers Seven Policy Recommendations to President Lee Jae-myung

Kim Yong-tae, the Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee of the People's Power Party, pointed out issues with the government's expansionary fiscal policy and requested the nomination of personnel that align with the expectations of the public during a luncheon with President Lee Jae-myung and the ruling party leadership on the 22nd.

In particular, Kim garnered attention by urging President Lee to promise he would undergo a trial after his term ends.

According to political sources, Chairman Kim emphasized the importance of communication and cooperation over the unilateralism of majority rule and conveyed seven policy recommendations during their meeting.

He stated, "It is fortunate that you, Mr. President, have put a brake on the Democratic Party's legislative push regarding presidential trials, such as the Public Official Election Act and the Trial Suspension Act. Moving forward, there should be no legislation related to presidential trials, and the ongoing trials before your term should be left to the judiciary's constitutional interpretation. If the judiciary delays the trials, your promise to undergo a trial after your term would greatly contribute to the public sensing the spirit of the Constitution of our democratic republic."

Resolution of Congressional Hearings and Concern Over Supplementary Budget

Chairman Kim addressed the contentious nomination of Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok, stating, "It is the public's desire that the ruling and opposition parties agree on personnel criteria that meet public expectations, leading to a smooth congressional hearing."

He pointed out, "Fair and transparent nominations by the President serve as indicators of communication and cooperation," and emphasized the urgency of establishing reasonable systems and practices to rectify the recurring disruptions in congressional hearings.

He also expressed concerns regarding the recent announcement of a supplementary budget worth 30.5 trillion won by the Lee Jae-myung administration.

"People's Power would like to request that the fiscal-led growth seen during the previous Moon Jae-in administration is not repeated under the current government," he remarked. "I hope the administration will carefully consider that expansionary fiscal policies could exacerbate inflation."

He particularly commented, "This supplementary budget, while claiming to promote genuine growth, has approximately 60% allocated to consumer coupons, local gift certificates, and debt relief schemes. The 1.1 trillion won allocated for debt relief could lead to a sense of deprivation among diligent debt payers and potentially encourage future debt evasion."

Acknowledgment of Diplomatic Achievements and Presentation of Reform Tasks

Chairman Kim positively assessed President Lee's diplomatic successes.

He noted, "It was very impressive that the President opened the door to the normalization of South Korea's diplomacy through the G7 summit and showed a move towards a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship." He added, "I hope for an early realization of the Korea-U.S. summit to strengthen the alliance and resolve trade issues and other instabilities between the two countries promptly."

He also promised, regarding numerous reform tasks such as pension, healthcare, labor, and education reforms, "If the President provides a clear direction on structural reform tasks, the People's Power Party will actively participate in discussions."

He pointed out the issue of skyrocketing real estate prices in Seoul.

Chairman Kim expressed, "I sincerely hope that the narrative of skyrocketing house prices under progressive regimes does not repeat this time," urging, "It is essential to promptly manage sales and demand centered on actual users while establishing long-term supply measures."

Lastly, he mentioned the necessity for national system reform, stating, "Reform of the prosecution and court systems, which form the foundation of state institutions, must be included in discussions on the constitutional amendment of the Seventh Republic. Discussions on reforming political systems and electoral systems that can overcome antagonistic faction politics, characterized by the combination of region and ideology, must also proceed together."

Image sources: Kim Yong-tae / News1, President Lee Jae-myung / News1, News1