DP leader visits DMZ Rep. Lee Nak-yon (R), chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, visits a front-line unit in the Demilitarized Zone in Yeoncheon, 62 kilometers north of Seoul, on March 6, 2021, in this photo released by the party. (Yonhap)
It looks like the DPK is testing the waters to implement some of their socialist ideas:
Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon attends the party’s Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap
Debates are rising over ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) chief Lee Nak-yon’s proposal for a profit-sharing scheme aimed at encouraging profitable companies to distribute their earnings to those hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the ruling side is stressing that it will not twist anyone’s arm and will instead offer various incentives, such as corporate tax breaks, to those voluntarily adopting the scheme, the opposition is critical of the idea, claiming that it goes against market economy principles. Plus, business owners are also skeptical of the proposal, saying there are no clear criteria on which companies are profitable.
There is speculation that tech companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, the nation’s top mobile messenger operator Kakao Corp., and Woowa Brothers, the operator of delivery app Baedal Minjok, would be subject to the scheme, as the companies have seen their sales grow amid the prolonged pandemic.
“In Europe, those who are prosperous in the pandemic are called economic winners from the COVID-19 crisis and are required to fulfill their social responsibility,” Lee said during Monday’s party meeting.
“Now we need to discuss various ways for profit-making companies to help those plagued by the coronavirus.”
You can read more at the link, but I thought that was the job of the government to help those struggling because of the coronavirus? Additionally if a company is profitable during the pandemic it is likely the vast majority of their employees are working. If business owners want to give out increased bonuses because of the pandemic that should be their own decision.
The government should be helping the small businesses that are shutdown or at reduced operations because of the pandemic. If they need more funds to do that then that is what the power to tax is for. It just seems like the DPK just doesn’t want to make a case for raising taxes and instead pressure these companies to give up their profits instead.
It looks like the ruling party realizes that the end of the Moon administration is nearing which means the potential of the conservatives winning the next election. If that was to happen no doubt the conservatives would look to start locking up their liberal political adversaries just like the Moon administration has done to them:
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Nak-yon answers reporters after paying tribute to patriots buried at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, southern Seoul, Friday, New Year’s Day. Yonhap
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Nak-yon is seeking to propose pardons for former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, who have been behind bars on corruption charges, to President Moon Jae-in.
“I will propose pardons for the two former presidents to President Moon Jae-in at an appropriate time,” Lee said during a New Year interview with local news agency Yonhap. Lee said the pardons of the two former presidents could be a way to promote reconciliation and overcome the ideological gap between conservatives and liberals.
“This year is the de facto final year for President Moon to practice policies, and this matter (of pardoning the two former presidents) needs to be solved at a right time,” Lee said. “I am seeking to propose it (to President Moon) apart from pros and cons from the supporters of the ruling bloc. … The party will have to play a more active role from now on.”
As former President Lee was sentenced to 17 years by the Supreme Court last October while Park is still on trial, a special pardon and suspension of sentence will be sought for each case, if President Moon pardons the two former presidents.
PM visits Air Force base South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon gives a thumbs-up aboard a fighter plane during his visit to the Air Force’s 20th Fighter Wing in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, on Dec. 26, 2019. (Yonhap) (END)
S. Korean prime minister visits ColombiaSouth Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon (L) plants a commemorative tree with Colombian Defense Minister Guillermo Botero at a rehabilitation center in Bogota on May 6, 2019. (Yonhap)
#SouthKorean PM Lee said "He was great, but frugal, frugal, but great. He loved his subjects & he received the love of his subjects. I become endlessly small & ashamed when faced with the life of 'juseok." (A term used for a communist leader)" when visiting Ho Chi Min museum. https://t.co/pbDeQq6jGd
The Prime Minister may want to ask the people enslaved in the gulags how much Kim Jong-un cares about his people:
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon speaks during a meeting in Nairobi with Korean residents in Kenya on July 19, 2018. (Yonhap)
South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Thursday that a series of changes has happened in North Korea and the most important of them is that the country finally has a leader caring for the livelihoods of his people.
Lee made the remark in Nairobi during a meeting with Korean residents in Kenya, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s policy to put a greater emphasis on economic development, and vowing to seize the chance to bring permanent peace to the divided Korean Peninsula. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but do these people actually think that talking nice about Kim Jong-un will make him decide to denuclearize?
