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| ▲ President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during an economic policy meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on July 4, 2023. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) Yoon-economy
(LEAD) Yoon vows never to bow to blackmail of illegal protesters
(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks by Yoon; CHANGES headline)
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Tuesday to never yield to the blackmail of political strikers and illegal protesters, his spokesperson said, after the country's largest umbrella labor group launched a two-week strike.
Yoon made the remark while presiding over a government meeting on economic policy directions for the second half of the year, while also calling for the removal of "killer regulations" that deter investment by businesses, according to Lee Do-woon.
"The president stressed that the Yoon Suk Yeol government will never bow to the blackmail of people who take the people and the people's economy hostage and stage political strikes and illegal protests, and will respond firmly," Lee said during a press briefing.
"The president also said that if by any chance they expect to gain something through illegal protests or strikes, they would be better off completely giving up those expectations under the Yoon Suk Yeol government," he added.
The tough remarks come a day after the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), South Korea's largest umbrella labor group, launched a two-week general strike to protest the Yoon government's labor policies.
The strike, which will run through July 15, is aimed at rallying public support for the ouster of the Yoon government, demanding a hike in the minimum wage and stopping the government's "pro-chaebol and anti-labor" policies, among other things, according to the KCTU.
Yoon has adopted a zero tolerance approach to large-scale strikes that threaten to disrupt the economy, with his administration issuing back-to-work orders against striking truckers last year.
"The president said it is the government's role to work to normalize and establish a just system across all sectors, and once again called for the active attitude of public officials to fight against the resistance of those with vested interests, in the spirit of the Constitution," Lee said.
During the meeting held at the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae, Yoon also called for boldly removing "killer regulations" that deter the investment decisions of businesses, saying that only then will the private sector invest more and establish the basis for future growth.
"I believe the second half of this year will be an important inflection point showing the potential of the South Korean economy, which has grown a step further while overcoming crises," he said, citing recent positive indicators, such as inflation falling from over 6 percent to the 2 percent range, and last month's turnaround from a trade deficit to a surplus.
"Uncertainties remain in the external realm, and there are still forces that refuse change, but we will have to demonstrate the innovation capabilities built so far so the people can feel the results," he added.
Yoon stressed the need to increase exports, including by correcting rules and systems that go against the global trend, and revisited the subject of "cartels with benefits," a reference to corrupt forces in and outside the government.
"Structures that share the benefits by building cartels, instead of gaining benefits and rights through a fair and just compensation system, must be strictly destroyed," he said. "Cartels with benefits may look nice on the outside, but they are easily, conveniently and continuously plundering the people, and all public officials must not be afraid to confront them or turn a blind eye to them."
Yoon especially pointed to monopolistic and oligopolistic industrial structures, and "cartels with benefits" sharing government subsidies, saying such behavior should be reviewed thoroughly in the budget allocation process and removed completely.
He also lamented that various economic bills have been held up in the National Assembly, including a bill aimed at establishing fiscal rules.
"I ask all ministers to look only to the people and do everything possible to ensure these essential economic and public livelihood bills quickly take effect," he said.
The meeting brought together ministers and vice ministers from 18 ministries and officials from the National Economic Advisory Council, as well as the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology.
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