Ruling Democratic Party(DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung reiterated his resolve to offer a new round of universal COVID-19 relief payouts.
Following his meeting with National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug on Monday, Lee said the DP and government will be able to reach a rational conclusion, taking into consideration the difficulties experienced by businesses and excessive tax revenue.
The former Gyeonggi governor had earlier pledged to push for the additional relief payouts which he determined should at least total one million won per person when considering the country’s gross domestic product(GDP), adding the payout so far of about 500-thousand won per person is much lower when compared to that of other countries.
The comments had invited criticism as being populist from various circles, including push back from Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki who prioritizes fiscal soundness.
On that matter, Lee said disputes among politicians or between a politician and a government official are not always based on academic theory, and should be resolved through judgment and determination. He underlined that government officials and politicians must respect public opinion.
Source: KBS World Radio