President Lee Jae-myung Says Tax Reform Plan Is Open to Revision Amid Criticism

[Anchor]

Criticism has been pouring in simultaneously against the tax reform plan announced last week, as well as the back-and-forth policy rollouts. President Lee Jae-myung has indicated that the announced reform plan could be revised.

Reporter Kang Min-u has the details.

[Reporter]

During a Cabinet meeting yesterday (August 11), regarding Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol leaving open the possibility of revising or supplementing the tax reform plan, President Lee addressed criticisms that the plan had become a "patchwork" or lacked consistency, stating the following.

[President Lee Jae-myung: When announcing a proposal, it is to listen to opinions. Naturally, there will be counterarguments. If there are counterarguments, it is desirable to accept them. Is it consistent to just say, "We decided once, so we go ahead with it"? No, that is not consistency.]

His remarks reflect the stance that it is only natural to announce a policy proposal, listen to opinions through the legislative notice period, and reflect them.

[President Lee Jae-myung: Rather than releasing a finalized plan and unconditionally and unilaterally pushing it through, when we put forth a proposal, there is always room for modification.]

In particular, he emphasized that there is no such thing as a 100 percent perfect plan that requires no revision, and that criticism for the sake of criticism only intensifies conflicts without solving problems.

Deputy Prime Minister Koo responded that listening to public opinions until the 20th, which is the legislative notice period, and supplementing the plan through discussions in the National Assembly is part of the process of enhancing the completeness of the tax reform plan.

[Koo Yun-cheol / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance: During the legislative notice period, please feel free to give us any opinions. We will modify and supplement them, and actively reflect them.]

Noting that those who benefit from tax changes stay silent while those facing increased burdens harbor immense animosity, President Lee made the following remark.

[President Lee Jae-myung: Minister of Economy and Finance, you need to know this. Anyone who touches taxes is bound to be cursed at when things change. So just crawl low no matter what.]

This is interpreted as asking Deputy Prime Minister Koo to maintain a "humble posture."

(Video reporting: Jung Sang-bo, Yoon Hyung | Video editing: Lee Seung-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.