Opposition Party Urges Support in June 3 Elections to Check Government

SEOUL, May 18 (Yonhap) -- The floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Monday urged voters to support the party in the June 3 elections, calling it the "only way to rein in the government's reckless drive."

Rep. Song Eon-seog made the remarks during a press conference at the National Assembly, saying the Lee Jae Myung administration and the ruling Democratic Party (DP), which currently holds a parliamentary majority, have pushed ahead with what he described as policies that "pose a danger to the nation."

"The June 3 local elections are an election to keep the Lee administration and the DP's dominance in check, and a strong warning from the people is the only way to rein in the government's reckless drive," he said.

Noting the DP's unilateral push for a special counsel bill to investigate allegedly fabricated indictments, Song said, "We cannot allow a judicial coup that mobilizes all presidential powers simply to erase a president's crimes."

The floor leader also stressed that voting for the PPP would be a vote to prevent the cancellation of Lee's indictments, prevent tax hikes and labor strikes, and check the ruling party's unilateral legislative drive.

The proposed special counsel bill calls for an independent probe into allegations that the prosecution under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration had fabricated evidence to indict then opposition leader Lee in multiple cases, including those involving alleged illegal remittances to North Korea and a development corruption scandal.

The PPP has criticized the move as an attempt to shield Lee from his criminal trials, which were suspended after Lee took office in June last year.