Opposition Criticizes President Moon for Typed Letter... Obama References 'Amazing Grace' Case

Controversy Over President Moon's Reply Letter Released by Civil Servant's Bereaved Family
'Why Typing?' Blue House Explanation Called "A Sign of Insincerity"

Letter from President Moon to the bereaved family of the slain public official.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Former Emergency Committee Chairman of the Liberty Korea Party, Kim Byung-joon, criticized President Moon Jae-in's letter sent to the bereaved family of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who was killed in the West Sea, citing the example of former U.S. President Barack Obama.

On the 15th, former Chairman Kim shared a video on Facebook of then-President Obama singing a hymn during a speech at the funeral of the Charleston church shooting victims, saying, "How should a president comfort the bereaved and the people? Here is one example."

The Charleston church shooting occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina, when a 21-year-old white male opened fire at a church mainly attended by African Americans, killing nine African Americans.

At the funeral held nine days later, President Obama sang the hymn "Amazing Grace," and this scene is remembered as one of the "best moments" during his tenure and has been highly praised.

Former Chairman Kim said, "The president has the symbolism and power to touch the hearts of people worldwide with a single word," targeting the Blue House by criticizing, "The people are not talking about the '15 lines' or the 'typing' itself, but about the lack of sincerity in that reply."

Obama singing 'Amazing Grace',
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kim Mi-ae, Emergency Committee Member of the People Power Party, also pointed out President Moon's letter. Kim said that after the victory in the Falklands War in 1982, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's first act was to write handwritten letters to the families of 250 fallen soldiers, saying, "It was not the same content with only the names changed, but she stayed up all night recalling each person and wrote each letter by hand."

On the same day, Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, wrote on Facebook, asking President Moon, "Could you not at least embrace the young student who lost his father?" and said, "Many citizens could not hide their mixed feelings over the formal and dry reply that was sent."

Regarding the Blue House’s explanation that "even diplomatic letters between heads of state are typed and sent," Leader Ahn criticized, "It is sheer coldness with no respect for humanity, no consolation for the bereaved, and no empathy for their pain."