The third-biggest People’s Party leader Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo on Wednesday urged the legislative body to come up with a comprehensive plan for reducing gaps in society, blaming the business and political elites for worsening socioeconomic inequalities

During his debut speech as a party leader at the National Assembly, the entrepreneur-turned-politician also suggested that the political parties should set up a parliamentary committee to create more jobs in the future industry. 

But the former presidential candidate tried to steer clear of sensitive political issues, including the ongoing debate over constitutional amendment, as well as his first-term lawmaker’s bribery scandal that has unnerved the party leadership. 

“The defining theme of South Korea in 2016 is to reduce the gap (in society),” said Ahn. “I urge the parliamentary committees and Assembly speaker to take the initiative to build a roadmap to address the issue. … We should end an era where few elite dominate powers and wealth,” he said. 

The 40-minute speech marked the end of the three-day parliamentary addresses delivered by the major parties’ leadership. The preceding speeches had also broached similar agendas such as pushing reform on conglomerate-dominated business structure.

In order to successfully finish business within the four-year term, Ahn suggested that the parties should build a “road map” every year to figure out which gaps need to be fixed and which social sectors need to be tackled the most.

The 54-year-old politician denounced the nation’s elites for abusing their powers in sectors ranging from business and politics to arts and sports. To make his case, he cited the infamous bribery scandal between the former chief of local cosmetic companies and the prosecutor-turned-lawyers. 

“The cronyism among the power elites is so rampant in every corner of society,” said Ahn. “There is no hope or future for the country without justice in the legal system and taxation policy. We will fight against the elites with vested interest,” he said.

In the speech, Ahn underscored the need for creating jobs related to the future industries such as science and education. He urged the lawmakers to build a legislative committee to determine budget and resources needed to push the agenda.

The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition The Minjoo Party of Korea echoed the need to build the committee, praising Ahn for delivering a “thoughtful” speech and pledging to take concrete measures to pursue the initiative. Ahn’s party holds the casting votes in the new Assembly with 38 seats to the Saenuri’s 129 seats and the Minjoo Party’s 122 seats.

The former businessman suggested that that the world has begun the fourth Industrial Revolution and that Korea should take unconventional approaches to navigate through complex issues compounded by social transformation.

Citing former Chinese Prime Minister Deng Xiaoping as an example, Ahn urged the reform-minded politicians to take note of the pragmatic leader who spearheaded wide-ranging social reform in China from the 1970s to the 1990s.   

“Just as how Deng envisioned the plan for the nation 30 years down the road, the Assembly should figure out a future plan for South Korea as well,” he said, referring to the Chinese statesman’s famous “three-step” policy for China’s economic development within 70 years.

Ahn, however, did not offer any comments on the constitutional amendment that has roiled political circles over the past weeks. The presidential hopeful had previously said that simply changing the terms of the presidency would not offer a solution to the problematic single-term five-year system.

He took a similar stance on the bribery scandal surrounding first-term lawmaker Rep. Kim Su-min. The youngest lawmaker in the 20th Assembly has been accused of receiving kickbacks from advertisement companies during the political campaign. She has denied the allegation.
  
By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)