Kim Byung-ki, the Democratic Party of Korea leader, criticized on the 21st, saying, "I can no longer overlook the incompetence and corruption of public institutions," and added that "the heads of institutions who are clinging on with the Yoon Suk-yeol administration should take off their coats themselves." He also stated that he would designate the amendment to the Public Institutions Operation Act, which aligns the terms of the president and public institution heads, as a fast track item.
During a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly that day, the leader pointed out Lee Sung-hae, the president of the Korea National Railway, saying, "Corruption allegations were raised at the Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee's full session. If true, it constitutes a clear bribery offense," adding, "The integrity of public office has collapsed, and there is an appalling lack of awareness of crime." Earlier, on the 19th, Democratic Party lawmaker Cheon Jun-ho claimed that the president purchased bicycles through a subcontractor and used them as government supplies.
He continued, saying, "The core of this issue is the excessive parachute appointments by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration," and pointed out that "the president of the Korea National Railway is a bureaucrat from the Ministry of Land and a political appointee of the People Power Party."
The leader emphasized, "The Democratic Party will root out the incompetence and corruption of public institutions. We will innovate the personnel system from the ground up to establish institutions that value ability and responsibility."
He also reiterated, "There are 53 heads of institutions appointed after the Dec. 3 coup, and 22 heads of institutions appointed after the ousting of former President Yoon," adding, "We will concentrate our efforts to pass the amendment to the Public Institutions Operation Act in the regular National Assembly, as promised."
He warned, "If the chairperson of the Strategy and Finance Committee from the People Power Party obstructs this, I will designate it as a fast-track item." The committee in charge of the Public Institutions Operation Act is the National Assembly's Strategy and Finance Committee, currently chaired by Im Yi-ja, a member of the People Power Party. Once a bill is on the fast track, it will be automatically submitted to the plenary session after a period of 180 days in the responsible standing committee and 90 days in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, regardless of objections from the chairperson.
The leader had previously raised issues with Kim Hyung-seok, the director of the Independence Hall, regarding his Liberation Day speech on the 19th and noted that he would process the relevant bill within this year's regular National Assembly. This time, he is also targeting the allegations surrounding the president of the Korea National Railway, continuously pressuring heads of public institutions appointed under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to resign.