Song Criticizes Legislative Monopoly by the Government, but... "Let's Form 3 Special Committees for Cooperation"

Song Eon-seok, the floor leader of the People’s Power, criticized the legislative monopoly of the Lee Jae-myung government and the Democratic Party in his first speech as the leader of the negotiating group on the 10th, while proposing the formation of three special committees to discuss contentious bills. However, the Democratic Party called for his resignation, citing Song's remarks from the previous day, making cooperation seem distant.

Song, in his speech at the National Assembly's main chamber, criticized the government's fiscal waste and the ruling party's unilateral handling of bills that increase corporate burdens, such as the Yellow Envelope Act (amendments to Labor Union Act Articles 2 and 3) and the revised Commercial Act. He also defined attempts to strengthen the three major special prosecutions targeting the People’s Power and to establish a special court for rebellion as attempts at "one-party dictatorship."

Nevertheless, he spoke of cooperation. He proposed forming a special committee on fiscal reform involving the ruling and opposition parties to restructure the budget, including ever-increasing mandatory expenditures, a parliamentary judicial reform committee to discuss prosecutorial reform, including the abolition of the Prosecutor's Office and the establishment of the Public Prosecution Office and the Serious Crime Investigation Office, and a special committee on public broadcasting legislation to revisit broadcasting reform.

He also mentioned the livelihood economy consultative body agreed upon at the meeting between President Lee Jae-myung and the ruling and opposition leaders on the 8th, saying, "The People’s Power is ready to cooperate. We also have policy alternatives," urging that "the choice is up to the ruling party."

The intention to maintain the thread of cooperation while not giving up on the struggle against the ruling party is apparent. Although Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae expressed hostility by mentioning the dissolution of unconstitutional parties the previous day, the initiation of meetings between the ruling and opposition floor leaders leaves room for opening the door to cooperation.

However, the Democratic Party immediately criticized the speech. Leader Jeong, speaking to reporters at the National Assembly, sarcastically remarked, "Is this some kind of anti-communist oratory contest? It feels like my ears are bleeding," adding, "If you replace 'Lee Jae-myung government' with 'Yoon Seok-yeol government' in the speech, it fits perfectly." He further demanded Song's resignation. Through social media, Leader Jeong expressed an agitated response, saying, "We will hold Mr. Song, who has given up being human, accountable."

This reaction stems from the fact that Song was identified as the person who made problematic remarks towards President Lee Jae-myung and Leader Jeong during the previous day's negotiating group leader speech. Earlier, Leader Jeong, in his speech, said, "If the 'No Sang-won Notebook' had succeeded in reality, neither President Lee Jae-myung nor I would be in this world," to which a voice from the People’s Power seats responded, "It would have been better if that had happened," causing controversy.

uknow@fnnews.com Kim Yun-ho Lee Hae-ram Song Ji-won reporters