President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday urged the main opposition People Power Party to support the supplementary budget bill, pushing back against its criticism of providing cash relief to the bottom 70 percent of income earners.
During a luncheon meeting with the leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties, Lee also called for the party to support a constitutional revision proposal that would tighten the requirements for declaring martial law.
“At a difficult time like now, especially when our community is facing a crisis due to external factors, internal unity is truly important. As we often say, unity is what truly proves its value at times like these,” Lee said.
The meeting marked Lee’s first such gathering with Democratic Party Chair Rep. Jung Chung-rae and People Power Party Chair Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok since his last luncheon with the two in September last year. A planned follow-up meeting this February was canceled at the last minute because Jang boycotted it.
Lee said the 26.2 trillion won ($17.4 billion) supplementary budget proposal was open to revision at the National Assembly after he heard Jang's objections to its design.
In his public opening remarks, Jang specifically opposed the government's plan to provide up to 600,000 won in fuel cost relief payments to the bottom 70 percent of income earners.
“If this takes the form of distributing cash to 70 percent of the public, it could instead have adverse effects on inflation and the exchange rate. It may end up buying a brief moment of relief at the cost of prolonged pain,” Jang said.
Lee directly pushed back, saying the payments were intended as targeted support in response to an external shock.
“We have prepared what could be called war-related relief payments to support those earning in the bottom 70 percent, in light of the external crisis — particularly the surge in oil prices — and the resulting hardships facing the public,” Lee said. “But describing this as cash handouts is, I think, an excessive characterization.”
Lee underscored that “this is by no means a populist cash handout.”
“All of it comes from taxes paid by the people through their hard-earned money, and it must be used fairly and rationally. From the government’s perspective, we believe this is the most appropriate form of support,” Lee said. “But this is the government’s position. We hope the National Assembly will deliberate on it thoroughly.”
Lee’s remarks came as the Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts began reviewing the 26.2 trillion won supplementary budget bill Tuesday. The government and Democratic Party aim to secure its passage on Friday.
Lee also publicly reiterated the need to pass a constitutional revision bill approved at a Cabinet meeting a day earlier, calling on the People Power Party to lend its support.
“Let me say this publicly: It has been far too long since the Constitution of the Republic of Korea was enacted, and it has now become like a suit that no longer fits,” Lee said, referring to South Korea by its official name.
The constitutional amendment, jointly proposed on Friday by 187 lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties — with the exception of the People Power Party — seeks to introduce several key changes.
The bill proposes updating the Constitution's preamble by enshrining the democratic spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement and the 1979 Busan-Masan Democratic Protests. It also aims to strengthen the National Assembly’s control over martial law and promote balanced national development.
“I believe measures to tighten the requirements for declaring martial law are absolutely necessary. I cannot imagine anyone opposing steps to prevent its abuse,” Lee said. “I hope it can be received positively as part of a phased, gradual approach to constitutional revision.”
The proposed amendment requires the support of at least two-thirds of the current 295-member Assembly to pass, a minimum of 197 votes in favor. If independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, who is currently in detention, is unable to participate in the vote, at least 10 lawmakers from the People Power Party would need to back the bill for it to clear the Assembly.
“In reality, constitutional revision is impossible without the cooperation of the People Power Party. I ask that you seriously consider this in a positive manner,” Lee said.
Following the meeting, People Power Party senior spokesperson Rep. Choi Bo-yun said Jang had urged Lee to “publicly declare in advance that he would not seek re-election or serve consecutive terms before discussing constitutional revision.”
Jang reiterated that “It is the party’s official position to oppose constitutional revision (being put to a vote) simultaneously with the local elections” on June 3, according to Choi.
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com
