 ▲ 이재명 대통령이 23일 오전 청와대에서 열린 제27회 국무회의 겸 제12차 비상경제점검회의에서 모두 발언하고 있다. © 뉴시스 |
이재명 대통령이 23일 중앙선거관리위원회의 6·3 지방선거 투표용지 부족 사건 논란 관련해 "내부 운영과정도 국민이 납득 못하는 황당한 일이 생기는 거 같은데 필요 시 다 수사하면 좋겠다”고 했다.
이 대통령은 이날 오전 청와대에서 열린 제27회 국무회의 겸 제12차 비상경제점검회의 모두 발언에서 "선관위 사태에 국민 우려·관심이 매우 높다”며 이같이 말했다. 하지만 잠실 올림픽경기장 시민들의 '부정선거 재선거' 목소리에 대해 "부실은 사실이나 전체 선거 자체가 부정선거는 아니지 않나"라고 공식 부인했다.
그러면서 "참 안타까운 게 정부 통제·관리 범위 내 있으면 손이라도 써보겠는데 헌법이 정한 독립기관이라 관리·통제도 불가능한 상황"이라며 "국회도 일상 감시·관리가 어렵다보니 내부에 문제가 많이 생긴 것 같다”고 거듭 기존과 같은 선긋기에 나섰다.
또 “쌓이다보니 심지어 투표지가 부족해 투표 장애를 느끼는 상황이 됐다”며 “선관위가 통제불능 상태서 이런 일을 저지른 점은 변명 여지가 없으며 신속히 대안을 마련하고 대책을 세워야 한다”고 했다.
이어 "검경이 합수본을 만들어 수사 잘하고 있나, 좀 늘려야 할 것 같다”며 “이번 투표과정서 생긴 문제도 중요한데 간접 부정부패 사례 등 황당무계한 일이 있다"고 했다.
더불어 "예산문제·채용비리도 잘 정리됐는지 모르겠다"며 "내부서 경각심을 갖지 않고 방만하게 운영한 측면이 있는데 형식적으로 문제되는 부분을 다 정확히 밝히고 책임을 물어야 한다”고 했다.
이 대통령은 "가짜뉴스·조롱·혐오·조작같은 것들을 전달하는 게 과거처럼 그냥 한 두 개인 피해로 그치는 게 아닌 엄청난 사회적 갈등·대립을 초래하지 않나, 엄청난 사회적 비용을 부담해야 되기에 과거와 다르게 평가해야 될 것 같다"며 "(선거관리가) 부실한 건 사실인데 그렇다고 전체 선거 자체가 부정선거는 아니지 않나"라고 주장했다.
그러면서 "과거엔 '장난으로 있을 수 있는 일' '표현하다 보면 좀 과할 수도 있지' 정도로 넘어갔는데 지금은 체계적 공격 수단·부당 이익을 얻는 수단이 돼 가고 있는 것 같다"며 "인공지능으로 아무도 식별 못할 정도로 만들어 명백한 허위사실을 정말 그럴듯하게 퍼뜨려 갈등 조장·부당 이익을 얻는 수단으로 사용되는 측면이 있다"고 주장했다.
이어 "누가 그런 소문을 냈다 하는 게 사실이라 하더라도 소문이 사실 아니면 허위사실 공표로 책임져야 된다"며 "무책임하게 사실상 허위 사실 공표·확산 행위가 너무 당연한 마치 진실을 전달한 것처럼 악용되는 경우가 많은 것 같다"고 했다.
또 "분쟁이 될 경우 수사기관이 좀 엄정히 하면 좋겠다"며 "수사기관이 엄정하게 책임 강도를 높여주면 좋을 것 같다"고 했다.
더불어 "물가 부담이 있고 석유류 제품 가격이 너무 올랐다"며 "지금 반도체나 이런 데 초과 세수들이 좀 예상되면 유류세를 낮춰도 재정 부담은 그리 크지 않으며 서민들 소비 여력 확대에도 도움된다는 거지 않느냐"고 했다.
이 대통령은 "좀 더 과감하게 석유 최고가격제는 더 유지하고 최고 가격도 좀 낮춰가야 될 거 아닌가"라며 "서민들 물가 부담을 최소화할 수 있게 예를 들면 서민들 소득 지원 정책을 지금 추가하려면 재원이 없지 않나"고 했다.
그러면서 "물가 상승률은 높고 소득 양극화가 좀 심하다"며 "지금 주식시장이 대형 우량주들만 많이 오르다 보니 약간 양극화가 되는데 (서민층) 소득 지원 방안을 좀 연구해야 될 것 같다"고 덧붙였다.
영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Trworking hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.
President Lee Jae-myung Orders Investigation into Election Commission Voting Issues, Corruption, Budget Waste, and Hiring Irregularities
27th Cabinet Meeting & 12th Emergency Economic Review Meeting: "There is no room for excuses for the fact that the actions were committed while the NEC was out of control... It is a fact that (election management) was negligent, but isn't it true that the entire election itself was not rigged?"
-kihong Kim reporter
On the 23rd, regarding the controversy surrounding the National Election Commission's (NEC) ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections, President Lee Jae-myung stated, "It seems that absurd incidents are occurring within the internal operational process that the public cannot accept, so I hope that everything will be investigated if necessary."
President Lee made these remarks during his opening address at the 27th Cabinet meeting and the 12th Emergency Economic Review Meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae this morning, noting, "Public concern and interest regarding the NEC situation are very high." However, regarding the calls for a "re-election due to election fraud" made by citizens at the Jamsil Olympic Stadium, he officially denied them, saying, "While there were indeed shortcomings, the entire election itself was not rigged, was it?"
He continued to draw a clear line, stating, "It is truly regrettable that if it were within the scope of government control and management, we would try to intervene, but since it is an independent agency established by the Constitution, management and control are impossible." He added, "It seems that many internal problems have arisen because even the National Assembly finds it difficult to conduct daily monitoring and management." He also stated, “As ballots piled up, the situation escalated to the point where there was even a shortage of ballots, causing voting difficulties.” He added, “There is no excuse for the National Election Commission committing such acts while out of control; they must promptly devise alternatives and establish countermeasures.”
He continued, “I wonder if the joint investigation team formed by the prosecution and police is conducting the investigation properly; it seems they need to expand it.” He noted, “The issues that arose during this voting process are important, but there are also preposterous incidents, such as cases of indirect corruption.”
Furthermore, he remarked, “I am not sure if the budget issues and hiring irregularities have been properly resolved.” He added, “There was a lack of internal vigilance and lax management; they must formally clarify all problematic aspects and hold those responsible accountable.”
President Lee argued, "The dissemination of things like fake news, ridicule, hatred, and manipulation does not merely result in harm to one or two individuals as in the past, but rather causes immense social conflict and confrontation. Since it entails a massive social cost, I believe it must be evaluated differently from the past." He added, "It is true that [election management] was inadequate, but that does not mean the entire election itself was rigged."
He continued, "In the past, it was brushed aside as 'something that could happen as a joke' or 'something that might go a bit overboard when expressing oneself,' but now it seems to be becoming a systematic means of attack and a means of obtaining illicit gains." He asserted, "There is an aspect where clearly false facts are spread so plausibly using artificial intelligence that no one can identify them, serving as a means to incite conflict and obtain illicit profits."
He further stated, "Even if it is true that someone spread such rumors, if the rumors are not factual, one must be held accountable for the dissemination of false information." He remarked, "It seems there are many cases where irresponsible acts of disseminating and spreading false information are abused, treated as if they were conveying the truth." He also said, "I hope investigative agencies handle disputes strictly," adding, "It would be good if investigative agencies strictly increased the level of accountability."
Furthermore, noting the burden of inflation and the excessive rise in petroleum product prices, he remarked, "If excess tax revenue is expected from sectors like semiconductors, lowering fuel taxes would not significantly burden the fiscal budget and would also help expand the spending power of ordinary citizens."
President Lee stated, "Shouldn't we be more decisive in maintaining the oil price ceiling and gradually lowering the maximum price?" He continued, "To minimize the price burden on ordinary citizens, for example, if we were to add income support policies for the working class right now, wouldn't we lack the necessary funds?"
He added, "The inflation rate is high, and income polarization is quite severe," noting, "Since the stock market is currently seeing significant gains only in large-cap blue-chip stocks, there is a degree of polarization; we need to study measures to support the income of the working class."
