[173rd Newsletter] Excerpt from Opening Statement of the Democratic Party's Supreme Council meeting
“Chairman Hwang, While Prime Minister of the Previous Administration, Demanded Absolute Passage of Extra Budget Bill”
□ Lee Hae-chan, Chairman of the DPK
Last week, in an effort to take a closer look at people’s livelihoods, I participated in a meeting held at a youth job center run by additional youth employment benefits; this week I visited a company that has implemented measures designed to prevent industrial accidents with the aid of a program that provides financial support to companies that investment in working environment and safety. These two workplaces are in desperate need of the swift passage of an extra budget bill. I can confirm that additional youth employment benefits are imperatively necessary government programs to support small-and-medium sized companies, not to mention programs to upgrade work environments and safety in the workplace. Businesses in unison called for the proposed supplementary budget bill to be passed as soon as possible so as to improve disaster responses, stabilize people’s livelihoods, and vitalize the slowing economy. Yesterday, President Moon also stressed the speedy passage of the extra budget bill to inject life blood into the sluggish economy. The Liberty Korea Party’s outdoor rallies and refusal to attend parliamentary sessions have resulted in the supplementary budget bill’s stagnation in the National Assembly for the past 35 days. Specifically, back in 2016, then Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn contended that extra budget bills must be passed swiftly without any conditions in order to improve people’s livelihoods. I am urging the main opposition LKP as well as party Chairman Hwang, who is greatly concerned about the nation and its people, to return to the National Assembly and immediately deal with the supplementary budget bill and other key bills that will stabilize people’s livelihoods.
"황교안, 총리시절 이유여하 막론 추경 통과 주장"
□ 이해찬 당대표
저는 추경 민생점검 차원에서 지난 주에는 청년추가고용장려금을 활용한 청년일자리고용현장을 다녀왔고, 이번 주에는 환경안전투자지원프로그램으로 산업재해를 막는 기업 현장을 다녀왔다. 두 군데다 추경이 절실하게 필요한 사업장들이었다. 청년추가고용장려금은 중소기업, 중견기업에게는 아주 소중한 정부 지원프로그램이었다는 것을 확인할 수 있었고, 환경안전투자지원프로그램도 아주 절실하게 필요한 정책이었다. 현장의 목소리는 추경안을 빨리 통과시켜 재난대응과 민생안정, 경기활성화에 큰 힘이 되도록 도와달라는 뜻이었다. 대통령께서도 어제 추경안 신속통과로 경제에 활력을 불어넣는 것이 급선무라고 강조를 하셨다. 한국당의 장외투쟁과 국회거부로 추경안은 35일째 국회에서 잠을 자고 있다. 특히 16년 추경은 당시 황교안 총리가 ‘민생살리기를 위해 추경은 이유여하를 막론하고 빨리 통과돼야 한다’고 주장한 바 있다. 자유한국당은 국민과 민생을 생각하고, 황교안 대표께서도 3년 전에 하신 말씀을 생각한다면 즉시 국회로 돌아와 추경통과, 민생입법에 임해주시기를 바란다.