Chairperson Kwon Young-se said on the 24th regarding reports that Lee Jae-myung, a candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential primary, is considering transferring the budgetary powers of the Ministry of Economy and Finance to the presidential office, "Now, if he becomes president, it means he will dismantle the Ministry of Economy and Finance and freely dispense money."
Chairperson Kwon noted during a meeting of the People Power Party in the National Assembly that this is "a dangerously reckless idea to use taxpayers' money as a tool for populism."
He said, "The Ministry of Economy and Finance is the guardian of national finances and the last bulwark against populist and giveaway policies, and he (Lee) is pursuing a pledge to take direct control of the national budget."
Chairperson Kwon also claimed, "To take even a penny from the budget of his constituency, he must listen well to the president, so lawmakers who oppose government policies will be weeded out, and to fill the insufficient finances, corporate tax bombs will be dropped, causing corporations to either close their doors or flee South Korea."
He added, "Moreover, in the past, Lee has emphasized a legal concept that contradicts our Constitution by stating, 'The National Assembly must execute the budget,' but now he is changing his words to say that authority (related to the budget) must be consolidated to the president," and "He criticized presidential power as imperial but now seeks to reign as a true emperor. The People Power Party will fight to ensure that Lee Jae-myung's tyranny does not bring down the country."
Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader, stated, "This is a desire to become a king beyond a presidential power, and it is a regressive and reactionary idea that concentrates all state power in the hands of one person, which is no different from a restoration of monarchy."
Kweon continued, "From the perspective of local government heads from the opposition party, they will suffer under a constant state of budgetary insecurity, while ruling party lawmakers will engage in a loyalty competition to increase the budget that meets the president's tastes, and particularly if a populist party like the Democratic Party comes to power, the National Assembly will waste the national treasury like a gambling addict placing bets."