Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on April 30. [Photo=Yonhap]
Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, stepped up his criticism of the ruling camp on April 30, saying South Korea was becoming a monarchy where “the state is me.”
Speaking at a party Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Jang said that with “one word from President Lee Jae-myung,” the ruling party and government were “busy pushing things through without discussion or review.”
Jang said Lee’s remark that “it is fair for nonregular workers to be paid more” was followed by a rush to create a “fairness allowance” and raise pay first in the public sector. “Taxpayer money is being put in, but there was no proper review or debate,” he said.
He also criticized comments about school trips, saying teachers were unfairly demonized by claims that trips were being canceled to avoid responsibility. As backlash grew, he said, the Education Ministry said it would present measures in May. “A policy produced in a month because the president ordered it can only be sloppy and rushed,” Jang said.
Jang also attacked Democratic Party candidates running for mayor in major cities in the June 3 local elections, including Seoul and Busan. He said Seoul candidate Jeong Won-oh was dodging questions about raising property holding taxes and abolishing the long-term holding special deduction. He also criticized Busan candidate Jeon Jae-soo, saying he would not clearly answer a question about whether he received a Cartier item.
Separately, the People Power Party used the meeting to denounce a parliamentary investigation into allegations tied to what it called a “political prosecution” under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Floor leader Song Eon-seok called it a “self-destructive” probe, saying it began with unconstitutional and illegal actions, proceeded with “barbarism and violence,” but ultimately proved “Lee Jae-myung is guilty.” He said introducing a special prosecutor to cancel an indictment would be an abuse of the rule of law and an act that would destroy the justice system.
Speaking at a party Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Jang said that with “one word from President Lee Jae-myung,” the ruling party and government were “busy pushing things through without discussion or review.”
Jang said Lee’s remark that “it is fair for nonregular workers to be paid more” was followed by a rush to create a “fairness allowance” and raise pay first in the public sector. “Taxpayer money is being put in, but there was no proper review or debate,” he said.
He also criticized comments about school trips, saying teachers were unfairly demonized by claims that trips were being canceled to avoid responsibility. As backlash grew, he said, the Education Ministry said it would present measures in May. “A policy produced in a month because the president ordered it can only be sloppy and rushed,” Jang said.
Jang also attacked Democratic Party candidates running for mayor in major cities in the June 3 local elections, including Seoul and Busan. He said Seoul candidate Jeong Won-oh was dodging questions about raising property holding taxes and abolishing the long-term holding special deduction. He also criticized Busan candidate Jeon Jae-soo, saying he would not clearly answer a question about whether he received a Cartier item.
Separately, the People Power Party used the meeting to denounce a parliamentary investigation into allegations tied to what it called a “political prosecution” under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Floor leader Song Eon-seok called it a “self-destructive” probe, saying it began with unconstitutional and illegal actions, proceeded with “barbarism and violence,” but ultimately proved “Lee Jae-myung is guilty.” He said introducing a special prosecutor to cancel an indictment would be an abuse of the rule of law and an act that would destroy the justice system.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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