Koo Yun-cheol: 'I will come every day if called every day'

People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik greets Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol during a meeting at the National Assembly on Monday. [Yonhap]
People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik greets Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol during a meeting at the National Assembly on Monday. [Yonhap]

People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik met Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol on Monday and urged the government to change its economic policy direction, calling for a shift in approach on real estate, taxation and labor.

Receiving Koo at the National Assembly, Jeong said the Lee Jae Myung government must change the direction of its economic policy and specifically named real estate, taxation and labor as areas requiring a course correction grounded in on-the-ground realities.

While praising Koo as an expert in economic policy, Jeong expressed deep concern about the state of the economy. "The economic reality right now is far from easy," he said. "There are even voices from the field saying things feel harder than they did during the IMF crisis."

He added that the deputy prime minister's role must carry greater weight in these difficult times. "When it comes to people's livelihoods, there is no distinction between the ruling and opposition parties," Jeong said. "If it is for the people, we are fully prepared to cooperate — whether on legislation or policy."

Koo responded in kind, saying that on economic matters he sees no divide between the ruling and opposition parties, only the people. "I will actively explain livelihood-related legislation and do my best to ensure it passes the National Assembly as quickly as possible," he said.

Koo also acknowledged the uneven nature of the economic recovery, noting that while conditions were broadly improving, some people were still struggling. "I will do my best to ease the difficulties facing small business owners and others," he said. He added that South Korea would rally its latest economic capabilities — going beyond semiconductors — to take the economy to the next level.

Meanwhile, Jeong and Koo held a closed-door session following their formal exchange, during which the two sides agreed to work closely together to boost regional economies, according to sources familiar with the meeting.


hwshin@heraldcorp.com