Kim Min-seok, Justice Party Daejeon City Committee Chair Candidate
Posts Promotional Material on Personal SNS Declaring 'Breakup with Radical Feminism'
Claims "Regional Party Controlled by Feminist Group Directives"
Election promotional material posted by candidate Kim Miseok on Facebook. / Photo by Facebook capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A candidate running in the Justice Party's internal election sparked controversy by adopting the campaign catchphrase "Breaking away from radical feminism."
Kim Miseok, a candidate for the position of Daejeon City Justice Party Chairperson, has been posting election promotional materials on his Facebook since the 16th, advocating for a "break with extreme feminism."
In the promotional materials he posted, he claims that there is an increasing number of remarks defining the Justice Party as an "overly gender-equal party," stating, "There are even comments saying that if you remove attacks on politicians involved in sexual violence and sexual violence legislation, there is nothing left in the Justice Party."
He also said, "While feminist groups may succeed in attracting public attention, the entire history of progressive parties is being distorted because of them," and questioned, "In this way, radical feminists may secure their 'rice bowls,' but will the 'livelihoods of ordinary people' improve?"
In a Q&A posted on Facebook at the time, Kim strongly argued that "the Justice Party must break away from radical feminism."
Kim Miseok, Candidate for Chairman of the Daejeon City Party Committee of the Justice Party / Photo by Kim Miseok Facebook Capture
In response to the question, "As a progressive party, shouldn't you consider women, socially vulnerable groups, and minorities? Are you opposing feminists?" he replied, "I do not oppose healthy feminism that aims for gender equality," adding, "I oppose distorted feminism based on misandry."
When asked, "Isn't it desirable for the party's identity to move toward feminism?" he pointed out, "Unlike in the past, the current generation raises issues of reverse discrimination," and criticized, "It is a regressive idea to define and exclude women as weak beings trapped in past experiences."
He also claimed, "The local party is being controlled according to the directives of factions and feminist groups," and insisted, "The Justice Party must return to its original values."
He emphasized, "We have adopted the motto of the meeting between Jeon Tae-il and Roh Moo-hyun," describing the party as "born from the tradition of the labor movement and the power of civil society movements."
In one post, he edited a photo of Justice Party lawmakers Jang Hye-young and Ryu Ho-jeong to appear blurred in the background, superimposing an image of a rice bowl with the phrase "Femi (FEMI)" written on it. Some interpret this as a veiled criticism of the two lawmakers, who have gained attention for their vocal roles in gender and sexual violence-related legislative activities.
However, public reactions to Kim's election promotion were mixed. One netizen wrote on Kim's promotional post, "I question whether there really is an 'extreme feminism' that the Justice Party needs to overcome."
Shin Ji-hye, representative of the Korean Women's Political Network and former Green Party Seoul mayoral candidate, criticized it as "a pledge like a warm iced Americano," implying it is a contradictory promise unfit for a party that has worked to protect women and other socially vulnerable groups.
On the other hand, some defended Kim's claims. One netizen stated, "The reason I supported the Justice Party was that, unlike the Democratic Party, it raised its voice for workers, farmers, and other vulnerable groups," and argued, "Now it seems only feminism remains."
Meanwhile, a Justice Party official told Yonhap News that Kim appears to have created the promotional materials independently without prior consultation with the party. They added that they are currently verifying the exact facts through the Daejeon Regional Election Commission.
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