President Yoon Seok-yeol Criticizes KCTU Rally and Former Government’s Welfare Policy as ‘Populism’: Cabinet Meeting Updates

President Yoon Seok-yeol said of the recent rally of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on the 23rd, “As a result of the past government virtually giving up the exercise of police authority for illegal assemblies and demonstrations, the people are experiencing inconveniences such as loudspeaker noise and road occupations. It is coming,” he said.

“The traffic in downtown Seoul was paralyzed due to a large-scale rally by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions last week,” President Yoon said at a cabinet meeting presided over at the Presidential Office Building in Yongsan this morning. It is interpreted that the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions rally was aimed at the Moon Jae-in administration.

In his opening remarks, President Yoon said, “Our Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly and demonstration, and I, as the president, have respected it.” It does not mean that we protect even the act of breaking down.”

He continued, “It will be difficult for the people to tolerate the behavior of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) assemblies that violated the people’s freedom and basic rights and disrupted public order.” ” he said.

Strict enforcement of the law by the police was also emphasized. President Yoon said, “The state will protect law enforcement officials who faithfully fulfill their duties so that they do not suffer from lawbreakers or suffer disadvantages in their status.” We urge the police and related officials to strictly enforce the law against illegal acts.”

He continued to criticize the former government while conveying the future direction of state affairs. President Yoon said, “We need to straighten up liberal democracy and the rule of law, and normalize the collapsed national system by reorganizing our society as a whole.” will be returned to the people in its entirety,” he said. Emphasizing the principle of the private sector-led, market-oriented economy of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, he said, “It is difficult to overcome the current complex crises such as geopolitical conflicts, global economic instability, supply chain disruption, and climate and environmental crises with anti-market policies buried in ideology.” did.

He went on to say, “We need to provide more support to those in need with real welfare for the underprivileged, rather than political ticket-buying welfare that dazzles the public with populism.” We will try our best,” he said. It is interpreted as turning the arrow by defining the former government’s welfare policy as ‘populism’ and ‘ticketing welfare’.

President Yoon directly presided over the cabinet meeting, which is usually chaired alternately with the Prime Minister every other week, for a month and broadcast all the remarks live. On the 16th, he emphasized the change in the direction of state affairs in the first year of his inauguration. He emphasized the achievements of the Korea-Japan summit on the 9th and the Korea-US summit on the 2nd during a state visit to the United States.