Song Young-gil Sings North Korean Children's Song 'Daehongdan Potato'
Responds to Controversy: "Just Imitating a Drama"
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Song Young-gil, chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, has sparked controversy by singing the North Korean children's song "Daehongdan Gamja" while harvesting potatoes. Amid rapidly deteriorating inter-Korean relations, including North Korea's recent demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office, it has been pointed out that it was inappropriate for the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee to sing a song with North Korean regime propaganda characteristics. Chairman Song dismissed the controversy by saying, "It is a song that appeared in a drama."
On the 4th, Chairman Song posted on his Facebook titled "I sang the 'Potato Song'." He said, "We harvested the potatoes we planted with party members last April today. I am reminded once again of the worldly truth that 'crops grow by listening to the footsteps of farmers, and the field does not lie.'"
He continued, "The potato song sung while digging potatoes is even more enjoyable," adding, "Potato~ Potato~ King potato, really really good~ You can't eat it all, right? Bam-ba bam-ba bam~" This is a line from the North Korean song "Daehongdan Gamja." In the released video, Chairman Song holds potatoes in both hands and sings this song.
"Daehongdan Gamja" is a North Korean children's song that became quite well-known in South Korea after a video of a North Korean child singing it went viral mainly on online communities in the past. The song includes the lyrics "Under the love of the General, we had a bumper harvest." The term "General" is also evaluated as having the character of North Korean regime propaganda.
When controversy arose, Chairman Song explained in a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency, "I imitated the song sung by actor Park Sung-woong in the drama 'Crash Landing on You'." The drama depicts the love story between a South Korean chaebol heiress and a North Korean soldier.
Meanwhile, on the 5th, Chairman Song also argued on his Facebook, "Can we really persuade denuclearization by maintaining sanctions against North Korea?"
He emphasized, "North Korea has declared that it will stop additional nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches, abandon the parallel development of nuclear weapons and economy, and shift to an economic-focused policy."
He added, "North Korea is currently under about ten UN Security Council resolutions sanctions," and said, "In particular, the last 'UN Resolution 2397' is an unprecedentedly strong sanction in UN history."
UN Security Council Resolution 2397 is a North Korea sanctions resolution adopted in December 2017, which includes provisions to impose additional fuel restrictions if North Korea conducts further nuclear tests or launches intercontinental ballistic missiles.
He then questioned, "It prohibits and controls all exports and imports of industrial products, minerals, agricultural and fishery products, etc. Even the smuggling trade in border areas that existed has mostly been blocked recently due to COVID-19. Isn't this literally a suffocating regulation for North Korea?"
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