단상斷想

Annual salary of 150 million won, truly chosen by the common people, yet a group that looks down on the common people. According to the National Assembly audit data released last month, the annual personnel and activity expenses per member of the National Assembly exceed 150 million won. With a monthly salary of 13.57 million won, a monthly legislative activity allowance of 5 million won, and special activity expenses and policy research expenses added to that, it is truly an astronomical figure. Adding the personnel expenses of 700 million won for 9 aides and 200 million won for office operating expenses, the people's taxes spent to maintain one member of the National Assembly exceed 1 billion won per year. And the citizens' donations.

But what about the 모습 (appearance/behavior) they show? In the last regular National Assembly audit, the average attendance rate of 20th National Assembly members was only 62%. This means that one out of three people doesn't even show up properly. What's even more absurd is that there are countless lawmakers who doze off or do other things even when they attend. These people, who take it for granted that they receive more than thirteen million won a month and do nothing, are the representatives of the Republic of Korea and were elected by the people, so I express my complete regret over the candidate selection method.

The privilege against arrest has now become an exemption. The privilege against arrest for members of the National Assembly, guaranteed by Article 44 of the Constitution, has now completely deteriorated. The original purpose of 'protecting parliamentary activities' is nowhere to be found, and it has been reduced to an exemption for various irregularities and crimes. In fact, in the past five years, the prosecution has requested parliamentary consent for the privilege against arrest in 47 cases. Of these, the National Assembly agreed to only 12 cases. The remaining 35 cases were all ignored. What's even more absurd is the reason for refusing consent. They are protecting drunk driving, sexual assault, and bribery charges under the pretext of 'disrupting parliamentary activities.' Ordinary citizens are immediately arrested even for driving without a license, but members of the National Assembly are protected in the name of 'parliamentary activities' even if they drive under the influence. We need to dig from the bottom up to find out who and why they are nominating those who are so good at glossing over inequality before the law.

Performance is at rock bottom, salary is sky high. The reality of the National Assembly members revealed in the parliamentary inspection is utterly dismal. Over the past four years, 40% of the members have proposed less than 10 bills. They receive 13 million won per month while barely producing 2-3 bills a year. The average annual salary of Korean workers is 35 million won, but these members take home 160 million won in allowance alone. The rate of fulfilling pledges is even more appalling. According to a survey by the National Election Commission, the average pledge fulfillment rate of the 20th National Assembly members is 37%. They make 100 pledges during the election, keep only 37, and ignore the rest. Yet, they receive their monthly salary without fail. If such an employee were in a private company, they would have been fired long ago.

200 privileges, the reality of aristocratic treatment goes beyond the imagination of ordinary people. That's why they see the people as pawns. The privileges enjoyed by members of the National Assembly are beyond imagination. There are more than 200 benefits, including free subway, bus, and KTX tickets, airport protocol room usage rights, and golf course discounts. Even in the National Assembly cafeteria, you can eat a Korean set meal for 3,000 won. This is at a time when ordinary people have to pay more than 5,000 won to buy a lunch box at a convenience store. The practice of allowing even family members to enjoy these benefits must be completely eradicated.

It is also amazing to see the various convenience facilities in the National Assembly Members' Office Building, where there are many people who do not work. It is equipped with a free gym, free barbershop, and free laundry. At the National Assembly Training Institute, you can use luxury hotel-level accommodation for 10,000 won per night. All of these costs are, of course, taxpayers' money. They say, "We are for the common people," but they live a comfortable and easy life, fattening themselves on the taxes of those who begrudge even the price of a bag of ramen noodles in a situation where the inflation rate exceeds 5%.

Young people are obsessed with building up their specs for employment, and middle-aged people who received education that was neither here nor there in the post-war economic development suffer from lifelong job insecurity. Self-employed people are contemplating closing down due to the aftermath of COVID-19 and the economic recession. Countless people committed suicide because of COVID-19 and vaccines. The fact that the person who made money back then is trying to become a minister again shows that nothing has changed in essence. But do they even properly understand this reality? It is absurd to think that those who commute in black official cars and are surrounded by various banquets and golf receptions know the hardships of ordinary people. The recent remark by a member of the National Assembly that 'I don't know how much ramen costs' is a prime example of how out of touch they are with reality.

Members of the National Assembly who evade responsibility and inherit privileges, what is even more infuriating is their audacity. Even if the people are harmed by wrong policies, they claim it is the 'government's responsibility' and deny it. Even if they use abusive language in the parliamentary inspection, they say it is 'freedom of expression'. They are people who are accustomed to using ignorant and vulgar language. They bring up the shield of 'independence of parliamentary activities' when pointing out various favors and privileges. They even engage in inheritance. If a parent is a member of the National Assembly, their child becomes a member of the National Assembly, and if a brother is a member of the National Assembly, their younger sibling also becomes a member of the National Assembly. There are countless perennial lawmakers who go back and forth between 5th and 6th terms. They regard the position of a member of the National Assembly as if it were a family business passed down from generation to generation. If the members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea were converted to unpaid volunteers, everything would be solved in one go. If we let good people do voluntary service and leave the policy to artificial intelligence, there will be no problems.

I say to you. The people are fools. So the people's anger has reached a critical point. In a recent poll, the public's confidence in the National Assembly plummeted to the 10% range. This means that 9 out of 10 people distrust the National Assembly. Yet, they still rest in their privileges and repeat only the empty slogan, "We are for the people." We can't stand by any longer. Reducing the privileges of lawmakers and cutting their salaries is not an option, but a necessity. We acknowledge the minimum support necessary for legislative activities, but the current excessive privileges and benefits must be drastically reduced. The privilege of immunity from arrest should also be greatly limited so that they bear the same level of legal responsibility as ordinary citizens. Lawmakers, wake up, or you will be judged. If lawmakers do not reform themselves, the people will have no choice but to take action. In the next election, all vested politicians who rest on their privileges must be judged. We must properly distinguish between politicians who truly care for the people and politicians who only fill their own bellies and vote accordingly.

We must no longer remain indifferent, saying, "Politicians are all the same anyway." Our indifference further solidifies their privileges. We must monitor the legislative activities of each and every member of the National Assembly, criticize them mercilessly if they do wrong, and judge them severely in the next election. To the members of the National Assembly who are complacent in the sanctuary of privilege, we clearly state: The people are no longer fools. Switch to unpaid positions!