On the 18th, Democratic Party of Korea leader Jeong Cheong-rae noted the need for "improvement and restoration" that can fundamentally block damages related to recent heavy rains and mentioned the necessity for the government's special budget allocation.
Speaking at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 18th, Representative Jeong mentioned his visit to the flood-damaged site in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 15th, saying, "The damage caused by last month's heavy rain alone amounts to 1.08 trillion won. It is indeed an astronomical figure and the worst damage in the past decade."
He continued, "The climate crisis has become an unavoidable reality. As the years go by, the unpredictable rainfall and growing damages mean that simply reverting to the original state is no longer a fundamental solution," emphasizing, "We need to promote an improved restoration concept that can fundamentally prevent damage caused by rain."
He then added, "(To promote improvement and restoration), it is essential that more budget is allocated, and I think special measures will require special budgets."
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party leadership urged the immediate dismissal of Kim Hyung-seok, the head of the Independence Hall, who was appointed during the administration of Yoon Suk-yeol. They pointed out that Kim mentioned in his Liberation Day speech on the 15th that "Liberation is a gift obtained from the victory of the Allies in World War II."
Representative Jeong criticized, "How can the head of the Independence Hall deny the history of independence forged by the blood and sacrifice of our people in his Liberation Day address?" and stated, "Denying this is historical treason." Floor leader Kim Byung-ki raised his voice, saying, "If we ignore Kim Hyung-seok's treasonous acts, who can demand sacrifices for the nation from the people during a national crisis, and who will dedicate themselves?" He added, "We cannot allocate even 1 won of the people's tax to those who deny the independence movement."