[최보식의언론=김은혜 국민의힘 의원]

글로벌 금융위기 2009년 3월 이후, 15년 9개월 만의 원달러 환율 장중 1480원대.

정부는 글로벌 탓하고 싶겠지만, 지금 전 세계는 달러인덱스 지표만 봐도 약달러 우호적인 환경입니다.

늘 글로벌 달러화와 동조해온 우리 원달러 환율은 그런데 유독, 이 정부에서만 급상승하고 있습니다. 왜 그렇겠습니까.

원전 같은 나라 성장동력은 다 망쳐 놓고, 기업은 규제로 묶어 놓고, 이 정부 진짜 주인은 청년이 아니라 민주노총인 것 같고. 외국인들이 투자할 마음이 나겠습니까.

지난 4월, 야당 대표였던 이재명 대통령은 환율이 1400원을 넘어서자, “1400원이 위기의 현실화였다면, 1500원 돌파를 앞둔 지금은 국가 경제의 붕괴 직전이다”라고 비판했습니다.

이 대통령 말이 맞습니다. 지금 국가 위기입니다.

그런데 다시 또 대통령이 보이지 않습니다. 대신 정책실장, 부총리 풀어서 수출기업과 서학개미 옥죄기에 들어갔습니다.

달러 올라간 게 국민 탓인가요? 보도 대로라면 정책실장이 기업들 불러놓고 “작은 이익 탐하지 말라” 경고하고, 직후에 기업들은 ‘달러를 국내 시장에 내놓겠다’는 울며 겨자 먹기식 답변을 내놓았다고 합니다.

어디서 많이 봤습니다. 중국도 위안화 약세 국면에서 기업들의 달러 매도·보유 현황을 직접 보고받고, 달러 거래를 통제했습니다. 당시 휘두른 채찍에 위안화 환율이 잠시 숨 고르기를 했지만 곧 이어 다시 무너졌죠.

이 정부는 급할 때 따라가는 나라가 전체주의 국가, 중국입니까.

언제는 “미국에 투자하라”더니, 이제 와서는 “미국은 모르겠고, 달러부터 가져오라”는 이재명 정부. 노점상 자릿세 뜯는 양아치와 무엇이 다릅니까?

기업 통제. 작은 이익 탐하며 국가 미래. 큰 이익 내팽기친 이 정부 공직자들은

여당 원내대표 말, 벌써 잊으셨습니까?

“정책실장. 정책실장. 정책실장! 지금 뭐하는 겁니까!”

<챗GPT가 작성한 영문기사>

“Policy Chief, Policy Chief! What on Earth Are You Doing Right Now?”
By Eun-hye Kim, Lawmaker of the People Power Party

The won–dollar exchange rate has surged into the 1,480 range intraday—for the first time in 15 years and 9 months since March 2009, in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

The government may want to blame global factors, but that excuse simply does not hold. By any measure, including the dollar index, the global environment today is actually favorable to a weaker dollar.

And yet, the won—historically known for moving in tandem with global dollar trends—has skyrocketed under this government alone. Why is that?

This administration has dismantled the nation’s core growth engines, such as nuclear power. It has shackled companies with regulations. The true master of this government no longer seems to be young people, but the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. Under these conditions, why would foreign investors want to invest in Korea?

Last April, when he was still the opposition leader, President Lee Jae-myung criticized the situation by saying that once the exchange rate exceeded 1,400 won, “if 1,400 signaled the realization of a crisis, then approaching 1,500 means we are on the brink of economic collapse.”

President Lee was right. We are now facing a national crisis.

And yet once again, the president is nowhere to be seen. Instead, the policy chief and the deputy prime minister have been sent out to tighten the screws on exporters and Korean retail investors overseas.

Is the rise in the dollar the fault of the public? According to reports, the policy chief summoned business leaders and warned them not to “chase small profits.” Immediately afterward, companies reportedly responded—under clear duress—that they would “release dollars into the domestic market.”

This scene feels all too familiar.

China did the same during periods of yuan weakness—directly monitoring corporate dollar holdings and sales, and controlling dollar transactions. The whip brought a brief pause in the exchange rate’s rise, but the yuan soon collapsed again.

When this government is in a bind, is the country it chooses to emulate an authoritarian state like China?

One moment it urged companies to “invest in the United States.” Now it says, “Forget the U.S.—just bring back the dollars.” How is this any different from a street thug extorting stall fees from vendors?

Corporate control. Chasing small, short-term gains while throwing away the nation’s long-term future—have the officials of this administration already forgotten the words of the ruling party’s own floor leader?

“Policy chief. Policy chief. Policy chief!
What on earth are you doing right now?”

#환율, #김용범실장

#CurrencyCrisis #GovernmentOverreach #EconomicMismanagement