Korean opposition seeks three officials' resignations over disputed policies

People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik (정점식) called for three senior officials to resign at a National Assembly press briefing in Seoul on October 11. He demanded that agriculture minister Song Mi-ryeong (송미령), interior minister Yun Ho-jung (윤호중) and Financial Services Commission chairman Lee Eok-won (이억원) take responsibility for policies he described as three disasters. Reviewing the first week of parliamentary oversight hearings, he criticized the introduction of single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds, a nationwide farmland survey and the launch of the serious-crime investigation agency. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

Jeong alleged that the leveraged ETF policy had caused losses amounting to tens of trillions of won. He criticized Lee's explanation that the commission had made the decision itself rather than acting on presidential-office instructions, arguing that Lee should therefore resign. On farmland, Jeong said the agriculture ministry announced supplementary measures immediately after its parliamentary hearing. He alleged that the timing was intended to avoid criticism rather than minimize harm to farmers. Regarding the new investigation agency, he criticized Yun's reported statement that opening the agency was not itself the objective. Electronic Times reported Jeong's claim that staffing was only two-thirds of the authorized level and that the agency lacked its own holding cells and video-recording interview rooms. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

Jeong said the government had failed to fulfill promises to ensure the agency could carry out its functions from its first day and prevent operational gaps. He also said his party would investigate alleged politically aligned appointments associated with Seongnam and Gyeonggi during the remaining hearings. He urged the officials, if they disputed the resignation demands, to identify who was responsible for the policies. The reports relay Jeong's criticisms and demands; they do not include direct responses from the three officials to the briefing. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]