Han Byung-do, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 1st that the main opposition People Power Party "has lost its capacity for self-correction and is degenerating from a public party into a far-right party."
Han made the remarks at a party floor leadership meeting at the National Assembly, saying that "slurs, denial of impeachment, historical distortion and claims of election fraud have become routine for the People Power Party."
"Chairman Jang Dong-hyuk is making condescending language, insults and personal attacks against President Lee Jae-myung a routine part of politics," Han said. "Rep. Lee Jin-sook shared a video that belittles the May 18 Democratization Movement as a disturbance and denounces it as a riot, then offered the sophistry that it was the most faithful account of May 18."
He also took issue with the People Power Party leadership's visit to former President Lee Myung-bak and its move to bring former President Park Geun-hye back to the political forefront. "Yesterday they visited former President Lee, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for bribery and embezzlement," Han said. "Now they have gone so far as to define the impeachment of former President Park, who was removed from office by a unanimous decision of the Constitutional Court, as a political impeachment and to call for restoring her honor."
"What guarantee is there that a party that has begun denying May 18 and denying Park Geun-hye's impeachment will not also deny Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment?" he said. "I worry that before long they will rationalize Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection and glorify him as a hero of the far right."
Han stressed that the party would proceed without disruption on legislation for livelihood and state affairs and on review of next year's budget bill during the regular National Assembly session in September. "I will make sure that livelihood legislation does not stall because of confirmation hearings and that budget review is not delayed by political strife," he said. "Over the 100 days of the regular session, we will not waste a single day or a single second."
He said in particular that standing committees would move quickly on legislation to expand housing supply, stamp out property speculation, stabilize prices, support small business owners and the self-employed, and help young adults with jobs, housing and asset building.
Responding to the People Power Party's criticism of the government's 43.3 trillion won ($31 billion) budget for young adults as "cash handouts," Han said: "How is investment in jobs, housing, education and asset building for young people a cash handout? Investment that protects young people's present and prepares for their future must not be used as material for political strife."
Turning to the People Power Party, Han said, "Bogus filibusters that hold livelihood bills hostage and habitual obstruction will no longer work," adding, "We will keep the door open to dialogue and negotiation, but we will never back down in the face of reckless political strife and spite."
