Lee Jun-seok Changes His Mind due to Opposition from His Party after Agreeing to Hand out Disaster Relief Fund to All Citizens

[경향신문]

People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok (right) before parting with Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil after a dinner meeting at a restaurant in Yeouido, Seoul on July 12. Yonhap News

People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok and Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil agreed to a universal disaster relief fund for all citizens with stronger support for small business owners, but the opposition leader practically changed his mind due to opposition from his own party. Lawmakers are criticizing Lee’s communication and leadership skills, leading experts to predict a rocky aftermath.

On the night of July 12, Lee explained his agreement with Song on social media and wrote, “We agreed to review the need to expand the disaster relief fund to all citizens from the current bottom 80% in terms of income, after considering the situation in disease control, if there are any financial resources remaining.”

This led to attacks that he practically took back his agreement on a universal pay out. Earlier this day, Lee announced that he had agreed to a universal disaster relief fund after a dinner meeting with Song. People Power Party spokesperson Hwangbo Seung-hee met with reporters shortly after the meeting and said, “I think they agreed to give the disaster relief fund to all citizens today. I think it can literally be interpreted in this way,” and conveyed the details of the agreement between the two party leaders. Koh Yong-jin, Democratic Party of Korea spokesperson said, “Song and Lee seem to have shared the opinion that it is right to pay it (the disaster relief fund) out to all citizens.”

But about an hour and forty minutes after the announcement, Hwangbo said, “The intention was to utilize the supplemental fiscal resources first to sufficiently support small businesses and self-employed business owners by expanding--in terms of breadth and depth--the target and scope of government compensation. Then if there are any resources remaining, to review the need to expand the disaster relief fund to all citizens from the current bottom 80% of income after considering the situation in disease control,” and presented a different position. Lee also wrote on social media and explained the details of the agreement again adding the condition, “if there are fiscal resources remaining.”

This led to speculations that Lee changed his mind on the agreement after facing opposition from his party. After his meeting with Song, Lee met with the party’s floor leader Kim Gi-hyeon at around 9 p.m. Reportedly, Kim expressed his opposition to Lee’s agreement to a universal payout without consulting the party’s representatives in parliament. Jun Joo-hye, floor spokesperson told the reporter over the phone, “A universal payout of the disaster relief fund was never what the floor representatives wanted.”

People Power Party lawmakers also opposed, openly criticizing Lee. Lawmaker Yun Hee-suk wrote on social media this day, “What kind of policy rationality is there to handing the disaster relief fund to everyone, even to those who have not been affected by the disaster in the least bit?” and criticized the agreement. Yun then aimed at Lee and said, “I had no idea I would see a party leader who abruptly makes an agreement with another party that overturns our principles without any discussions within the party.” She further criticized, “We did not select a party leader from the past, who rams through whatever he wishes, when we selected a party leader who promised to run the party in a democratic fashion.”

Lawmaker Cho Hae-jin also wrote on social media, “If it (the agreement) is true, then it is surprising,” and added, “We need to disclose the details of how Lee came to reach an agreement that was different from the party’s existing position.” Cho even mentioned other comments recently made by Lee, such as his argument to abolish the Ministry of Unification and said, “Since the words of the party leader are accepted as the party’s official position or the views of the party, they have a different weight.” He criticized, “Lee should work harder to communicate with the party and be careful in his statements.”