Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung met with self-employed individuals and noted that the liabilities of self-employed individuals increased compared to national liabilities during the pandemic, arguing that economic policy should be restructured around the people. He also requested to contribute to the 'end of the internal unrest.'
On the afternoon of the 10th, Lee attended the 'Small and Self-employed Survival Rights Urging Rally' held at the National Assembly Members' Hall and stated, 'Because I am in Yeouido, what I feel is that those who decide the policies of this country seem not to be fully aware of the circumstances on the ground.'
Lee cited the increase in self-employed loans during the COVID-19 pandemic as a representative example. While advanced countries saw national liabilities increase during the pandemic, he argued that in Korea, liabilities of small business owners and the self-employed increased, dealing a severe blow to the economy.
He stated, 'The household liability ratio in our country is very high, while the national liability ratio is incredibly low.' He noted, 'To overcome the COVID crisis, advanced countries shared costs among the state, the community, and the government. However, in our country, we entirely lent money to self-employed individuals, overcoming the crisis through personal burdens.'
Lee also pointed out, 'Recently it was said that the proportion of self-employed individuals has slightly decreased, but the self-employed structure has not improved, and the recent economic situation has deteriorated so much that business closures have significantly outnumbered new start-ups,' adding, 'Ultimately, this is a problem of national economic policy.'
He added, 'Those who decide the policies of this country either do not feel that part or pretend not to see it.'
Loans to self-employed individuals began to increase significantly during the Moon Jae-in administration, when the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread. According to the Federation of Korean Industries, the total amount of loans from financial institutions to individual businesses reached 1122 trillion won as of the end of last year, reflecting an increase of 31.4% compared to 2020, when the impact of COVID-19 was at its peak (853 trillion won).
Additionally, Lee claimed that the state of emergency declared by President Yoon Suk-yeol has exacerbated the crisis for self-employed individuals. He emphasized that overcoming the national confusion following the state of emergency is a prerequisite for self-employed individuals to secure their survival rights.
He remarked, 'In a situation that is already difficult, the internal unrest has dampened spirits, and as months have passed, the economy has shrunk significantly. As long as there are people who can comfortably enjoy a warm home while perceiving the painful scenes outside as beautiful landscapes, it will be challenging to improve the current situation.'
He continued, 'You must decide the fate and lives of the next generation yourselves,' adding, 'We are going through a process that is both a crisis and an opportunity, known as the “Revolution of Light,” related to the impeachment of President Yoon. The future of the Republic of Korea must also be restructured around the people.'