Scene of a Unification Church rally. [Photo = Shin Hanguk Association]

Floor Leader Song Eon-seok, at a senior party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 30th, characterized the first year of the Lee Jae-myung administration as a period of △ destruction of people's livelihoods, △ dismantling of fairness, and △ regression of democracy.

Floor Leader Song criticized the economic sector, stating that over the past year since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office, "people's suffering has intensified due to soaring exchange rates, prices, and housing prices caused by anti-business policies and populist cash handouts."

Floor Leader Song fiercely criticized the suffering of the people's livelihoods by citing examples such as △ 7,000 won for a carton of eggs, △ 1,800 won per liter of gasoline in Seoul, and △ the highest rate of housing price increase in Seoul in 19 years.

He attributed the soaring exchange rates to anti-business policies and failed trade negotiations. He stated that the rapid price increases were a result of exchange rate hikes, populist cash handouts, and monetary expansion, and criticized the housing price surge as being due to anti-market policies, including the 'October 15th real estate outrage'.

Furthermore, he strongly criticized the amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, calling it an attempt at a 'judicial coup' and an assault on constitutional values. He also labeled the special prosecutor bill proposed by the Democratic Party as a 'targeted investigation for oppressing the opposition party' and urged cooperation for a special prosecutor to uncover the truth.

Floor Leader Song Eon-seok is characterizing the first year of the Lee Jae-myung administration as a period of △ destruction of people's livelihoods, △ dismantling of fairness, and △ regression of democracy at a senior party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 30th. [Photo = Yonhap News]

Floor Leader Song also demanded an unreserved investigation into the 'Unification Church Gate,' which involves key figures in the current government.

Regarding the Unification Church special prosecutor, he stated, "The Democratic Party claims to be pursuing a special prosecutor for the Unification Church Gate, but in reality, they are obstructing the processing of the special prosecutor bill through dilution and suppression." He emphasized, "The Unification Church Gate is a case where a specific religious group, with a clear objective, conducted systematic lobbying across the entire political sphere, and it is the public's fervent wish that an unreserved special prosecutor is needed."

He added, "The Democratic Party is explicitly hindering the introduction of a special prosecutor by suddenly bringing in Shincheonji, which is unrelated to the Unification Church Gate." He asserted, "If they intend to include Shincheonji allegations in the special investigation, then the allegations of Shincheonji's involvement in the Democratic Party's 2022 presidential primary, raised by Kim Eo-jun, must also be included."

Floor Leader Song further stated, "The allegations of collusion between Lee Jae-myung, the former presidential candidate, and the Daesoon Jinrihoe, as testified by Nam Wook (a private developer in the Daejang-dong development and owner of Cheonhwadongin No. 4), must also be included in the special investigation targets." He urged, "The Democratic Party must cease its targeted investigations for oppressing the opposition and its strategic dilution tactics, and immediately cooperate with the processing of the special prosecutor bill for an unreserved investigation into the truth behind the Unification Church Gate."

In addition, Floor Leader Song formally requested the President to exercise his right of reconsideration (veto) on the proposed amendments to the 'Installation of a Sedition Court' and the 'Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection,' which are scheduled to be presented to the State Council.

He declared his intention to mobilize all means, including constitutional appeals, to thwart the legislation if it is pushed through.

Reporter Im Yo-hee