The Democratic Party's approval rating stood at just 38.0% in a Realmeter poll released Monday, falling behind the People Power Party (44.3%) for the first time since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration. President Lee's governance approval rating also fell for the fourth consecutive week, settling at 51.5%. The public has pulled out a "yellow card" in response to the increasingly fierce factional struggle between the pro-Lee and pro-Cheong groups, the party leadership competition between Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and the prosecution's abolition of supplementary investigation authority. Can you not hear the sighs of citizens burdened by sky-high prices?
President Lee Jae-myung, on a European tour, instructed the establishment of a dedicated organization for youth policy on Sunday, saying, "The triple burden of employment, assets, and income polarization that young people face is very serious." He directed that youth policy be given top priority in next year's budget and that a "youth perception index" be developed. But can results truly be achieved while leaving in place laws and systems that run counter to reality? Since "youth employment through corporate investment" is the proper approach, the Yellow Envelope Act and the 52-hour workweek bill, which serve as shields for vested interests, ought to be supplemented. The ruling party should listen to the opinions of young people first, rather than forcing through a uniform retirement age extension bill.
