Cha Myung-jin: "If the Right-Wing Only Avoids the Sewol Ferry Incident, They Will Inevitably Lose Elections"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Cha Myung-jin, the United Future Party candidate who sparked controversy for making offensive remarks claiming that "Sewol ferry victims' families engaged in immoral acts," explained his remarks on the 10th, saying, "I thought that if the right wing kept avoiding the Sewol ferry incident, they would inevitably fall into a sense of defeat and lose the election."

On the same day, he posted on his Facebook, "It was to avoid losing the election. The Sewol ferry-related parties have openly mentioned me and 17 other candidates from our party as targets for defeat," he stated.

He added, "Until last week, the Minjung Union and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, who demanded punishment for Sewol ferry-related criminals, came to my office twice a week to campaign against Cha Myung-jin," and said, "I thought that if the right wing kept avoiding the Sewol ferry incident, they would inevitably fall into a sense of defeat and lose the election."

Candidate Cha explained, "It was necessary to inform the public of the truth of the incident so that the Sewol ferry could not be used as a weapon of attack by the left wing and to take extraordinary measures to unite right-wing citizens. Therefore, I exposed the Sewol ferry 'ㅇㅇㅇ incident' at the debate."

He also said, "The opponent made offensive remarks first. Democratic Party candidate Kim Sang-hee called those who sanctify the Sewol ferry incident 'people' and those who do not 'beasts' at that very moment," and emphasized, "I felt the need to inform viewers who the real beasts were, citing the case of an orgy incident involving two male bereaved family members and one female volunteer inside a memorial facility created to honor the death of a child."

He continued, "To avoid too explicit expressions, I euphemistically referred to it as the 'ㅇㅇㅇ incident,' which appears in English dictionaries," adding, "The source is not just a rumor but an article published in May 2018 by an internet media outlet called News Plus, and it has not been deleted even at this moment."

Candidate Cha pointed out, "The left wing succeeded in creating inviolable and absolute power by exploiting the sorrow of the Sewol ferry. Moon Jae-in was the general commander, Park Won-soon provided the material base called the Sewol ferry tent, and Park Joo-min organized it through the Sewol ferry Solidarity," and said, "The Sewol ferry power thus created drove out a perfectly normal incumbent president and exerted tremendous power to make an incompetent socialist president."

He said, "I have been fighting alone against the Sewol ferry power, but surprisingly, most self-proclaimed right-wing leaders criticized me rather than supporting me," and indirectly criticized the leadership trying to expel him, saying, "They say I am out of touch with public sentiment, not strategic, the content is correct but the expression is rough, and since the left wing is so strong, they just take a cautious approach. What is outrageous is that some even persecute me and throw me as prey to the left wing."

At the party headquarters in Yeongdeungpo-gu on the same day, Candidate Cha told reporters, "Until my remarks, I did not think the party leadership's policy was 'Never mention any unpleasant details about the Sewol ferry, or anything that undermines its sanctification and idolization,'" and said, "The Ethics Committee will decide on my future, but I will accept any decision."

Unlike candidate Kim Dae-ho, who was expelled due to a similar controversy before, he said he would not request a retrial. He said, "I am busy with the path I have to take, so I have no intention of arguing with the Ethics Committee. For now, I will work hard on the election campaign. I believe the people will choose Cha Myung-jin, who fights alone."