[Exclusive] Korea Welding Association Demands Official Apology from Ju Yeji for Derogatory Remarks about Welders

Korean Welding Association "Clear Occupational Disparagement... Official Apology Required"
Academy Instructor Ju Yeji Says on YouTube "You Should Learn Welding with a 7th Grade CSAT Score"
Netizens "No Job Hierarchy", "Ms. Ju's Remarks Reckless" Outraged

Academy instructor Ju Yeji. Photo by Ju Yeji

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 14th, the Korea Welding Association stated that instructor Joo Ye-ji's public derogatory remarks about welders were "thoughtless and that she should apologize."

Chairman Min Young-chul explained in a phone interview with Asia Economy that "welding is one of the high-income professions in our country," adding, "Many young people are also engaging in welding these days." He emphasized, "Ms. Joo's remarks are clearly derogatory toward a profession."

He continued, "In the past, the environment was poor, and people said they had to do welding to make a living, but now the environment and income are good and different," adding, "There are actually many people who want to learn welding." He stressed, "I hope Ms. Joo makes an official apology."

Earlier, on the 13th, during a live broadcast on her YouTube channel, when a viewer commented that "a grade 7 in the CSAT advanced math (ga-hyeong) and a grade 1 in basic math (na-hyeong) are equivalent," Ms. Joo said, "No. Students in ga-hyeong tend to seriously look down on na-hyeong students, and a grade 7 in ga-hyeong does not equal a grade 1 in na-hyeong."

She added, "Honestly, a grade 7 in ga-hyeong means you didn't study, right?" and said, "If you tried, you would get all the 3-point questions right, and then it wouldn't be grade 7. Even if you get all the 3-point questions right, you usually get grades 5 to 6, so getting grade 7 means you missed the 3-point questions. It means you didn't try."

Juyeji is depicting welding actions with her hands. Photo by Juyeji, YouTube capture.

Afterward, Ms. Joo mimicked welding by making a "jijing" sound with her hand. She laughed and said, "(If you get grade 7) you have to learn welding and go to Australia. They pay well."

When viewers asked if her remarks were derogatory toward welders, Ms. Joo tried to cover by saying, "Everyone, I'm just talking nonsense because I'm hot right now."

However, her remarks have spread through online communities. Netizens expressed discomfort with comments such as "I hope people don't judge others by their profession," "Welding is an essential skill," "Her character is lacking," and "There is no discrimination in professions."

Amid the growing controversy, a radio show where Ms. Joo was scheduled to appear decided to cancel her appearance.

Meanwhile, Ms. Joo's side explained as the controversy intensified, "Only parts of the video were pieced together and shared, amplifying the controversy. Later, through a live broadcast, she clarified that it was not a derogatory remark about a profession," adding, "We are currently discussing internal measures regarding future responses." The broadcast has since been deleted.