Chief of Staff to the President Woo Sang-ho will visit the National Assembly on the morning of the 24th to meet with members of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea.

President Lee Jae-myung has retained Minister Song Mi-ryeong, who was appointed during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, prompting a strong backlash from farmers' groups and agricultural lawmakers within the ruling party.

Minister Song Mi-ryeong, who is reappointed in the ministerial appointment, attends the full meeting of the Agriculture. Food. Rural Affairs. Oceans. and Fisheries Committee held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

This visit comes after President Lee Jae-myung's decision to retain Minister Song, in response to a request for a direct explanation from the committee's floor leader, Lee Won-taek.

Minister Song has shown a critical stance regarding the amendment to the grain management law promoted by the Democratic Party of Korea during the previous administration and had suggested that former President Yoon exercise his veto. However, during the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee meeting on the 23rd, where her retention was confirmed, she adopted a more conciliatory attitude, stating, "I will pursue this in a direction that aligns with the philosophy of the new government."

Lawmakers within the ruling party reacted strongly. A Democratic Party lawmaker on the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee told ChosunBiz in a phone interview, "We fought so much over the grain law, and it was retained without a word from Yongsan (the Presidential Office)," adding, "Honestly, I feel like I'm experiencing a mental breakdown."

Progressive Party lawmaker Jeon Jong-duk protested the retention of Minister Song by walking out of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee meeting the day before, and later held a press conference, saying, "The Lee Jae-myung government has given up on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers."

The backlash from farmers' groups is also fierce. The National Farmers' Union issued a statement demanding the withdrawal of Minister Song Mi-ryeong's retention, calling her "the Minister of Agriculture in a coup-sponsored administration, and sustaining her is tantamount to the continuation of coup-sponsored agricultural policies."

In response, President Lee Jae-myung explained at a dinner with the new floor leadership of the Democratic Party the day before, "I made the decision because I judged that it is necessary to make a balanced appointment regardless of factions," and noted, "I found that they actively expressed their opinions at the Cabinet meeting, which is why she was retained."