(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kwon Hee-won = On the 27th, the ruling and opposition parties fought over the disclosure of meeting minutes related to the decision to postpone national pension rebalancing (asset proportion readjustment), the non-adoption of witnesses, and the introduction of 'Mifjin' (pregnancy termination drug) during the comprehensive audit of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee.
People Power Party lawmaker Lee Man-hee, chairman of the Health and Welfare Committee, said to Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyung, "Based on your career or experience, I don't think you would have taken the lead in deciding to postpone rebalancing. It appears that the decision was made at the government level, but there is a need to inform and reveal who led the decision through the meeting minutes."
Rep. Baek Jong-heon of the People Power Party, a member of the opposition party, also said, "We requested the adoption of former Blue House policy chief Kim Yong-beom as a witness to determine why the National Pension Service postponed rebalancing and what impact it had on the people's retirement funds, but the Democratic Party opposed the adoption."
Rep. Kim Tae-ho of the same party pointed out, "They say the minutes of the meeting are investment secrets for various reasons, but I don't understand it," and added, "If we keep delaying it, the public will have no choice but to think that the decision itself was ultimately tailored to political tastes."
In response, the ruling party objected, saying that according to the National Pension Act, the minutes of the steering committee meetings can be made public after four years, so they could not agree to their disclosure.
Rep. Nam In-soon of the Democratic Party of Korea protested, saying, "I think it breaks the flow of the meeting for the chairman to once again mention parts that have been sorted out to some extent in relation to the request for data. According to the law, the minutes of the meeting are to be made public after four years, and only if the ruling and opposition parties agree can the data be submitted to the National Assembly audit. However, because the ruling and opposition parties failed to reach an agreement, the data could not be submitted."
Rep. Seo Young-seok, secretary of the ruling party, said, "I am aware of the law that prohibits the disclosure of meeting minutes for four years, but it is regrettable that the political offensive was carried out from the beginning of the audit to the last comprehensive audit, preventing a smooth audit of government affairs from taking place."
The ruling and opposition parties also exchanged shouts and clashed over the attitude of National Pension Service Chairman Kim Seong-ju's response regarding the postponement of rebalancing.
It all started when Chairman Kim said, "If you compare profits and losses by comparing the highs and lows of a few months, pension funds, which are long-term investors, will miss out on important long-term profits. If the National Assembly at least accurately recognizes such aspects and asks questions, unnecessary misunderstandings and controversies will not arise."
Chairman Lee Man-hee raised his voice, saying, "I am not in a position to evaluate the question itself. Do you know how insulting the remarks were to the members? Is it true that the members who asked the question are asking without knowing much? Even if the same question is asked a hundred times, you must answer the question."
As a result, the ruling party members complained and the meeting was temporarily suspended.
Even after the meeting resumed, when Chairman Kim seemed to resist Chairman Lee's request for an apology by saying, "I told you I was sorry," Chairman Lee raised his voice again, saying, "The people's blood money went into it and disappeared into thin air. How can you talk like that like a stranger?"
Ultimately, the situation came to an end when Chairman Kim responded, “I apologize for using misleading expressions.”
At the National Assembly inspection on this day, the issue of introducing MIF Jin was also an issue.
Chairman Lee said to Minister Jeong, "I'm not saying we shouldn't introduce it, but we should do it carefully because it's a matter of people's lives and health," and criticized, "If President Lee Jae-myung, who is in the Blue House, throws in a word, the only thing we can do is hastily follow along."
Then Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Soo-jin countered, saying, "You said the government will move at a single word from President Lee, but after proposing the bill, we have been asking the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to come up with measures for nearly two years. Lawmakers have consistently made requests, and the government has prepared them in response."
In response, Rep. Lee Dal-hee of the People Power Party raised his voice, saying, "Many lawmakers are raising their voices when we talk about the 'Hamyung Policy'. Wouldn't it be safer to change the Criminal Procedure Act and the Maternal and Child Health Act to sell drugs?" Rep. So Byeong-hoon of the Democratic Party responded by saying, "I am older than the President or the Prime Minister. I hope you will at least refrain from saying, 'It is Myungjae' and 'I will do as I am told.'"
