Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Han Byung-do harshly criticized the People Power Party on Monday, saying "if they refuse to actually proceed with deliberations on the Special Committee on US Investment, they are truly going rogue."
At a party policy meeting at the National Assembly, Han said, "The US Investment Special Committee, which the People Power Party unilaterally halted, was scheduled to hold a public hearing on bills today, but yesterday the PPP chairman heading the committee reportedly postponed the attendance of relevant ministers unilaterally without consulting with floor negotiators from either party."
"Isn't this an attempt to derail the special committee again by pretending to operate it normally with a public hearing while delaying bill submissions and subcommittee formation?" Han said. "If this is true, the People Power Party has no qualification as a public party serving the people."
"The Democratic Party will take all possible measures and will definitely pass US investment-related legislation without any hesitation when it comes to national interests," he added. "The People Power Party should keep in mind that the public will never tolerate actions that hold national interests hostage."
Han pledged to expedite processing of livelihood and reform bills pending in the National Assembly, starting with Monday's plenary session.
"Bills closely related to people's daily lives, such as the third Commercial Act revision that will accelerate the KOSPI to 6,000 and 7,000, and the Child Allowance Act providing benefits to 420,000 eight-year-old children, must be swiftly processed at the plenary session," Han said. "The People Power Party is refusing today's plenary session, insisting it should be held on the 26th, and is holding livelihood bills hostage."
"The Democratic Party will take the lead in protecting the golden time for livelihood recovery, where every minute and second counts," he said. "In March and April, we plan to hold plenary sessions every Thursday to support the Lee Jae-myung administration's governance and accelerate processing of bills that improve people's livelihoods."
Regarding the PPP's opposition to the Daejeon-South Chungcheong administrative integration bill, Han fired back that they are "ruining the future of Daejeon and South Chungcheong."
"'Maximizing synergy through integration against the Seoul metropolitan-centric system' and 'Daejeon-South Chungcheong reborn as an economic and science capital' were expressions used by Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo and South Chungcheong Governor Kim Tae-heum last July to emphasize the effects of integration," Han said. "But now these two local government heads are completely contradicting themselves by opposing the integration."
"What do they intend to accomplish with such schemes that prioritize local election gains over residents' interests?" he said. "I urge the People Power Party to immediately cooperate on passing the integration bill for the future advancement of South Chungcheong and Daejeon."
On the real estate market, Han expressed expectations for future price declines, citing statistics showing Seoul apartment price increases have slowed for three consecutive weeks.
"The market is responding to President Lee's strong will to normalize real estate," Han said. "In the Gangnam area, once called the myth of unbeatable real estate, properties with prices reduced by more than 1 billion won have appeared, and forecasts suggest price declines will begin in earnest within one to two weeks."
"In the month since the official announcement on January 23 ending the deferral of heavy capital gains taxes, Seoul apartment listings have increased by 18.8 percentage points," he said. "The speculative mentality that prices will rise if you hold out is being shaken."
"Together with the government, we will reform the distorted structure that turned the real estate market into a speculative arena and break the chain of inequality created by inherited wealth," Han said. "At the same time, we will push ahead without delay on measures including expanding public housing supply and protecting actual end-users to restore the housing ladder for homeless working-class citizens and young people."