41 days before the Busan election… President Moon floated a boat on Gadeokdo

President Moon Jae-in visited Busan on the 25th. 4·7 re-maintenance line left 41 days. The leaders of the ruling party, the deputy prime minister of the economy, and other key government officials, as well as the heads of local organizations, were dispatched. Gadeok-do toured the new airport site as well as Bujeon Station and Busan New Port. In terms of scale and movement, it was a “Mammoth-class event that is hard to find a precedent” (Democratic Party Busan City Party official). The opposition party immediately rebelled against it, saying that it was “explicit election intervention.”

The event was held under the name of’Report on Southeastern Mega City Construction Strategy’. It was a place to proclaim, “The goal of the Southeastern Mega City is to create another metropolitan area” (Kyung-soo Kim). Regarding President Moon’s attendance, the Blue House said, “This schedule is the eleventh tour of the’Go to the Korean New Deal’ site, which started in June of last year, and the second’Regional Balanced New Deal Tour’, the core of the Korean New Deal.”

However, the aspect of the participants was markedly different from that of President Moon’s first balanced regional New Deal Tour (Shinan Offshore Wind Farm, Jeonnam) on the 5th. In addition to the leadership of the Democratic Party, such as Lee Nak-yeon and Kim Tae-yeon, deputy Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki, the government was headed by Minister of Public Administration and Security Jeon Hae-cheol, Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Byun Chang-heum, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and Chairman of the Balanced National Development Committee Kim Sa-yeol.

President Moon’s visit to Busan has been a year since he attended a win-win agreement ceremony for Busan-type jobs in February last year. It was also two months ahead of the general election in April.

The event was organized as a schedule that was directly connected to the local economy, such as expanding the metropolitan transportation network, constructing an airport, and improving distribution. In particular, the new airport on Gadeok Island is regarded as a super-large issue that will influence the public sentiment of the Busan mayoral election. In this regard, President Moon said, “We will start with the new airport business in the Southeast region, which has been delayed for 15 years,” and “I hope for an early legislation so that long-lasting wishes can come true as soon as possible.” “As soon as the special law is enacted, the government promises to proceed as quickly as possible and provide necessary support.”

In the midst of this, he also made remarks that seemed to reproach the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. President Moon said, “The new airport of Gadukdo Island must be cooperated by various ministries from the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport must have a’will to play’. “To complete it before 2030, it needs speed. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should have a responsible attitude.”

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs submitted a report against the National Land Commission of the National Assembly, citing financial issues and legal and procedural reasons for Gadeokdo New Airport.

The opposition party “corresponds to the grounds for political intervention and impeachment”

President Moon’s remarks, which may be suspected of being’election use’, took place six days ago. On the 19th, at a meeting in which the Democratic Party leadership was invited to the Blue House, President Moon said, “We can review the payment of the National Comfort Support Fund and the People’s Morale Support Fund.” Blue House spokesman Kang Min-seok introduced this as “a dimension in which the whole people can do their best.” In a situation where the size of the supplementary supplement for the 4th disaster support payment has not been confirmed, President Moon surprisedly announced the 5th subsidy payment plan to all the people.

The power of the people was strongly opposed over President Moon’s visit to Busan following the former national disaster support fund. Ho-young Joo, the National Forces Representative, warned at the party’s non-confrontation meeting this morning that “the government’s explicit involvement in illegal elections” and “the president’s blatant involvement in elections, which undermines the election order, is a ground for impeachment.” In particular, with Gyeongnam Governor Kim Gyeong-soo and Ulsan Mayor Song Chul-ho accompanied, the main hospital representative said, “It was a very troublesome schedule with the defendant.”

“It is a’new normal’ of election intervention,” said Kim Eun-hye, spokesman for the power of the people. The control tower, which was hiding in the unconcerned disaster, stands tall in the Blue House during the election,” he criticized. The power of the people has also entered into a legal review on charges of violating the Blue House election law. Rep. Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the Ulsan Mayor of the People’s Strength, said on Facebook that “If you look at the situation going back to the Ulsan mayoral elections three years ago, it was the same.

Professor Lim Dong-wook of the Korean National University of Transportation, president of the Presidential Research Institute, said, “The president’s site visits that could cause controversy over the’election intervention’ ahead of the election were not unprecedented in the past government, but this scale is unprecedented. I think I judged it.”

Reporters Taehwa Kang, Saerom Sim and Kijeong Kim [email protected]