Floor leader Song Eon-seog of the People Power Party proposed forming a tripartite consultative body of the ruling party, opposition parties, and government to review the exchange rate, prices, and oil prices.
Song, the floor leader, said at a policy meeting of floor leaders held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 31st, "It has been more than a month since the war in Iran broke out, and the livelihood economic crisis has become a reality," and noted, "The exchange rate has broken through 1,520 won, heading toward the worst situation since the 2009 financial crisis, and although the maximum price system for petroleum products was implemented, within two weeks the maximum gasoline price rose from 1,724 won to 1,934 won."
Song, the floor leader, said, "The government initially boasted that 'we have enough stockpiled oil,' but now it is implementing five-day rotation driving restrictions for public institution vehicles, and says that if international oil prices rise further, it will even implement five-day rotation driving restrictions for private vehicles, which were not done even during the IMF period," adding, "People cannot understand whether the government is saying its oil price measures amount to five-day driving restrictions that, in the end, demand only the public's patience and sacrifice, after all that boasting."
Song, the floor leader, said, "In a desperate crisis where people's livelihoods are under threat, the National Assembly is fixated on a single audio file manipulated by 'devilish editing' and is engrossed in political strife over a parliamentary inquiry aimed at dismissing the indictment of President Lee Jae-myung," adding, "For the ruling party to idly cling to issues like dismissal of the indictment and fabricated indictments is, in the eyes of the people, a truly lamentable reality."
Song, the floor leader, proposed holding an emergency roundtable of the ruling party, opposition parties, and government to review the status and response plans for managing the exchange rate, prices, and oil prices. He said, "Let's suspend all political strife, including a parliamentary inquiry and revisions to the special prosecutor law, until economic instability caused by Middle East risks returns to a stable trend," adding, "I hope the political sphere can set aside political strife, even briefly, and that the ruling and opposition parties can join forces for people's livelihoods."