Democratic Party 'Anger' Over 'Dallimeun Yeongchang-euro' Banner Controversy... Opposition Kim Soyeon "No Intention to Apologize" (Summary)

Democratic Party Criticized for "Fueling Political Hatred"
Opposition's Kim So-yeon: "Have More Imagination... Will Sue"

A photo of a banner posted in the Daejeon constituency by Kim So-yeon, head of the Daejeon party committee of the People Power Party. / Photo by Kim, head of the party committee, Facebook capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seul-gi] Kim So-yeon, the head of the People Power Party’s Daejeon Yuseong district committee, sparked controversy by hanging a banner in the Daejeon constituency with the phrase "The Moon Goes to the Window." While the Democratic Party criticized it, urging to "respect the boundaries," Kim stood firm, saying she has "no intention to apologize."

On the 26th, Kim posted on her Facebook, "This banner is displayed throughout the constituency. Wishing a happy holiday to all crayfish, crucian carp, and frogs," along with a photo of the holiday banner.

The photo showed a banner with the phrase "Warm hearts this Chuseok" alongside lyrics from the song "The Moon Goes to the Window." The lyrics are part of the German song "Mozart’s Lullaby," and the word "yeongchang" (映窓) means "window."

However, some have pointed out that the phrase may be interpreted as insulting former President Moon Jae-in. "Moon" is a nickname given to President Moon by his supporters, and "yeongchang" is a homophone of "yeongchang" (營倉), which means a military prison, leading to possible double entendre.

Additionally, the characters such as frogs depicted below the banner are seen as mocking a 2012 post by former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk on his social network service (SNS), where he wrote, "Let’s create a world where even if you don’t become a dragon, you can live happily as a crucian carp, frog, or crayfish in the stream."

As controversy over the banner’s phrase and characters grew, Park Jin-young, the Democratic Party’s senior deputy spokesperson, criticized Kim’s banner on the 28th, saying, "There is a proverb that a Buddha sees only Buddhas, and a pig sees only pigs," referring to Kim’s banner phrase.

In a statement that day, Deputy Spokesperson Park said, "Criticism reflects the character of the critic. Petty analogies and mockery degrade one’s dignity and fuel public disgust with politics."

He added, "The president is the head of state representing our country before being a member of the ruling party. Please respect the boundaries."

In response, Kim mocked, "The elegant Democratic Party has issued a statement. To the hardcore Moon supporters (a derogatory term for those blindly supporting President Moon), if you target me, a female youth minority, with coordinates and harass me with malicious comments, the feminist president will be upset."

In a Facebook post that day, Kim said, "You all have such vivid imaginations. I have no intention to apologize. All your precious malicious comments will be captured and well preserved until the statute of limitations expires."

She added, "All abusive complaint calls to the office are also being recorded. Don’t raise your blood pressure for no reason. It’s pitiful to watch."

Meanwhile, Kim was elected as a Daejeon city council member in 2018 after receiving the Democratic Party’s nomination. However, she was expelled from the party after exposing that Democratic Party lawmaker Park Beom-gye’s side demanded illegal political funds in exchange for election support.

She then joined the Bareunmirae Party in March 2019, and after leaving Bareunmirae in January, she received the People Power Party’s (formerly Liberty Korea Party) nomination and ran for the Daejeon Yuseong seat in the April general election but was defeated.