Prime Minister Lee: “Accusing the Current Administration as Pro-North Will Not Be Tolerated”

Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan said on September 21, “From now on, illegal acts and doing harm to other people will be strictly dealt with in order to improve the moral fiber of the nation.”

Lee also said during a Cabinet council meeting held in the Central Government Complex, “If the government allows rootless rumors and acts of violence, the official discipline of the nation will fall to the ground, and the people will feel uneasy.”

In particular, he issued a warning, saying, “Rumors claiming the current administration is ‘pro-North Korea, anti-America, and leftist,’ are spread by those who are against the abolition of the National Security Law. It is unreasonable to abuse the participatory government with extreme words that would have been used in times of authoritarianism and suppression in the past. Wrongly accusing the current administration as pro-North Korean should no longer be tolerated.”

Lee asked related offices to strictly deal with the illegal acts by saying, “The workers are always going on illegal strikes. Although the laws related to the Labor Union of Public Service Workers have not yet been officially passed, the title of the union is overtly used in inciting people to reject the submission of inspection materials to the National Assembly. Also, farmers in opposition to the opening of the rice market are committing crimes like damaging police vehicles.”

Lee also instructed officials to find out the truth about the charge that the municipal government of Seoul has supported “indignation” meetings by paying district offices special bounties.

Yong-Gwan Jung yongari@donga.com