Anchor: The floor leader of the People Power Party lambasted the Lee Jae Myung administration on Wednesday, calling the president’s first 100 days a period of “utter chaos.” Fanning tensions rather than promoting bipartisan cooperation, Rep. Song Eon-seog also accused the ruling Democratic Party of trying to destroy conservative forces while establishing one-party rule.
Rosyn Park reports.

Report: Rep. Song Eon-seog issued harsh remarks in his policy speech at the National Assembly on Wednesday, a day after ruling Democratic Party Chairman Jung Chung-rae warned that the People Power Party may be subject to dissolution if it fails to cut ties with insurrectionists.

The main opposition party floor leader took aim at President Lee, calling his first 100 days in office a period of utter chaos and political retribution.

[Sound bite: People Power Party Rep. Song Eon-seog (Korean)]
“It has been 100 days since the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration. The past 100 days have been a period of utter chaos under an incompetent ruler. Politics has been nothing but oppression of the opposition party and political retaliation carried out by political special counsels, led by a runaway ruling party that seeks to destroy bipartisan cooperation. The economy and people's livelihoods are collapsing under anti-business and anti-market policies that block investments and take away jobs. Security is being dismantled by a humiliatingly submissive North Korea policy caught up in illusions.”

Song also criticized Lee's recent summit with U.S. President Donald Trump for being unsuccessful as more than 300 South Korean workers in Georgia were arrested last week during a U.S. immigration raid at a Hyundai plant.

Song then accused the Democratic Party of attempting to frame the PPP as a party of insurrectionists, and urged the DP to stop using special counsel probes as tools to suppress the opposition.

[Sound bite: People Power Party Rep. Song Eon-seog (Korean)]
“The special counsel is responding with indiscriminate and excessive investigations. Without clear evidence, they continue to conduct search and seizure at the People Power Party’s offices, district offices and even our lawmakers’ homes. During our national convention, they stormed into our central headquarters and tried to confiscate our membership list with five million names and account numbers. They forced their way into our floor leader's office at the National Assembly and searched staff members’ mobile phones, computers, laptops, vehicles and suitcases. They even sent out subpoenas naming some of our lawmakers as suspects.”

As for the recent agreement to form a consultative body among the government and ruling and opposition parties, Song said his party is ready to cooperate, but stressed the DP must engage in dialogue and compromise.

In response, the DP slammed Song for not making a single remark on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law or issuing a public apology.

DP leader Jung Chung-rae condemned Song for not having the "right attitude" for bipartisan cooperation, but said he still intends to have frank discussions with the opposition through a joint consultative body to address economic and livelihood issues.
Rosyn Park, KBS World Radio News.