Lee Jae-myung Accuses President Yoon of “Selling the Country” by Accepting a Collusive Agreement with Japan that Could Ruin Korea

Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung speaks at a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council at the National Assembly on March 17. Bak Min-gyu, Senior Reporter

On March 17, Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung spoke on the summit between South Korea and Japan and asked, “The salesman ended up selling the country, didn’t he?” He quoted President Yoon Suk-yeol, who promoted himself as the number one salesman of the Republic of Korea. Lee defined the government’s third-party payment solution to forced mobilization under Japanese occupation as a “collusive agreement that could destroy the nation” and suggested stronger protest against the government.

In a meeting of the Democratic Party’s Supreme Council at the National Assembly Friday, Lee said, “The summit with Japan yesterday was the most shameful and crushing moment in the history of our foreign relations.” He further said, “There was no remorse or apology from Japan on the biggest issue, the problem of forced mobilization, and there was no mention of any action by Japan in response (to the government solution), which the government had announced.”

The major opposition party leader said, “The moaning of the people claiming that he (the president) traded the nation’s pride, the victims’ basic rights, and historical justice, all for a bowl of omurice does not seem wrong,” and declared, “We will resolutely fight this collusive agreement that threatens to destroy our nation by sacrificing the victims and turning the Republic of Korea into a subordinate of Japan.”

Lee also spoke on President Yoon’s interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun, which was released on March 15. He said, “I questioned my eyes because I could not believe that it was an interview of the president of the Republic of Korea,” and criticized, “The victims officially refused the government’s compensation plan and even the people opposed it, but the president was only concerned about Japan and said there would be no request for compensation.” The Democratic Party leader described how he was stunned at the president’s attitude, which suggested that he would tolerate Japan’s attempt to build a military powerhouse and even annul the “Peace Constitution,” and said that at this point, the nation should debate the government supporting Japan’s victory let alone being pro-Japan.

Lee Jae-myung criticized the labor policy enabling a 69-hour work week, which President Yoon instructed be reconsidered, by calling it “a policy forcing workers to overwork.” He said, “The government hastily began reconsidering the policy under pressure from fierce public opposition, but even that is all a mess.” He denounced the government for handling a key national policy as if it were bargaining for an item at a traditional market: proposing a 69-hour work week, and when that didn’t work, suggesting a 64-hour work week, then a 60-hour work week.

The Democratic Party leader said, “At present, the Republic of Korea is still an overworked society where we work two hundred to up to three hundred hours more than the OECD average,” and stressed, “Instead of moving back into the past by extending working hours, we should now step toward a future society that meets the OECD average.” He mentioned how he had called for more businesses to work to reduce working hours during his presidential campaign and said, “We need to go further than working five days a week to working 4.5 days a week.” “I hope we can move toward a society where work-life balance is possible with a 4.5-day work week,” he added.

Lee Jae-myung will hold a rally condemning the government in front of Seoul City Hall at 2 p.m. March 18 and personally give a speech. On Friday, he wrote on social media, “Please gather in front of Seoul City Hall on Saturday. The Democratic Party and I will also fight against a collusive agreement that can bring about the nation’s ruin,” and encouraged his supporters to take part in the demonstration.