On February 23, Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Park Hong-keun spoke on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s remark about violence in construction sites and the establishment of a police-prosecutor joint investigation team for such “construction violence” and said, “The chief of national security in the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office has taken over the presidential office in Yongsan.” He argued that the president wasn’t reforming labor, but declaring a new authoritarian rule in the name of national security.

Park made the comment in a meeting to discuss the party’s policies at the National Assembly Thursday. He said, “The late President Roh Tae-woo declared war against crime and former President Park Geun-hye engaged in a war after declaring the four major social evils. And now, President Yoon has personally coined the term, ‘construction violence’ and went on to establish an investigation team for ‘construction violence.’” He argued, “After his approval ratings dropped due to his incompetence and lack of measures in state administration, he suddenly aimed the arrow at labor.” In a cabinet meeting on February 21, President Yoon received a report on organized illegal activities, such as extortion and violence, in construction sites and referred to them as “construction violence.”

The majority floor leader said, “Labor reforms are only possible when labor, management and the government put their heads together, communicate, engage in dialogue and make compromises to reach an agreement, and finally improve the law and the system.” He argued that the president defined anyone who stood up to the Yoon Suk-yeol government as the enemy, be it the opposition party, a labor union or a corporation, and tried to solve every problem with a prosecutor’s investigation. He mentioned how the court recognized the monthly fee of a tower crane operator as part of his wage, whereas the president claimed it was illegal, and argued that the president was denying the rule of law by labeling something that the court found to be legitimate as “construction violence.”

Park Hong-keun further said, “Disparaging workers as gangsters is serious enough, but the president’s way of thinking, trying to knock down anyone with different opinions, is truly dangerous,” and added, “How can he embrace the entire people and promote unity?”