"Truly Down-to-Earth After Eating Sundaeguk" Opposition, What to Do About Yoon Seok-yeol's Popularity [Han Seung-gon's Political Notebook]

A Video of Prosecutor General Yoon Dining with Staff During His Tenure as Head of the Central District Prosecutors' Office Uploaded on YouTube
Soondae Soup with Staff... "Humble Prosecutor," "Friendly Image" Receive Positive Reactions
Criticism: "Yoon Supporters Campaigning?"
People Power Party Distances Itself from Yoon's Approval Ratings

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol eating Sundaeguk. Source=YouTube capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's video eating Sundae-guk (Korean blood sausage soup) with his staff during his time as the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has been uploaded on YouTube, sparking reactions such as "He is humble and down-to-earth." On the other hand, some have criticized, "Why is a video of him eating in the past being uploaded now? Aren't his supporters campaigning for the election?" However, there is also an interpretation that this phenomenon itself is happening because his approval rating as the next opposition presidential candidate is high.

The main opposition party, the People Power Party, has drawn a line, saying that Yoon's high approval rating is a separate issue from the party. Although there are polls showing him ahead of Lee Nak-yeon, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, there are also criticisms that the party is not properly utilizing this. With the April by-elections for the Seoul and Busan mayoral offices and the 2022 presidential election ahead, Yoon's popularity has yet to play any role from the People Power Party's perspective.

The video of Yoon eating Sundae-guk with his staff during his time as the head of the Central District Prosecutors' Office was uploaded on YouTube on the 28th of last month. The YouTuber who posted the video explained, "This video was taken when Yoon was the head of the Central District Prosecutors' Office. Although people around him raised their voices regarding the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, he pretended not to hear and quietly ate Sundae-guk." He added, "If it were now, he would be enthusiastically supported... I shout for Yoon Seok-yeol to stay strong along with his down-to-earth image." The video has recorded over 548,177 views as of 10 a.m. on the 6th.

Netizens and citizens who saw this showed various reactions. Kim, a company employee in his 40s, said, "Isn't Yoon Seok-yeol the current Prosecutor General who was the head of the 'Park Geun-hye Gate' investigation team? He could have eaten alone or in a quiet place considering others, but eating Sundae-guk with his staff so casually gives a friendly image."

On the other hand, some view the timing of the video's upload as a political move by Yoon. Lee, a worker in his 30s, said, "Whether Yoon wants it or not, he is currently receiving high support as the next opposition presidential candidate. Why is a past scene like that video being uploaded just before the Seoul mayoral election? Ultimately, anyone can see it as a political situation."

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is responding during the Supreme Prosecutors' Office audit held at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of October 22 last year. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Yoon's approval rating continues to rise. According to a poll conducted by Realmeter on behalf of YTN from the 1st to the 2nd, Yoon ranked first with a 30.4% approval rating. In the same poll, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung received 20.3%, and Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon received 15%. This is the first time Yoon has recorded first place outside the margin of error and surpassed 30% in approval rating.

By party support, more than half of the People Power Party supporters backed Yoon Seok-yeol. Among Democratic Party supporters, nearly half supported Lee Jae-myung.

The poll surveyed 1,000 men and women nationwide aged 18 and older. The sampling error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For detailed information, refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website. Realmeter analyzed that "some of Lee Nak-yeon’s supporters, who raised the issue of pardoning former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, defected to Lee Jae-myung."

Although more than half of the People Power Party supporters back Yoon, the party itself cannot yet issue any messages or take any stance. Despite the upcoming by-elections for Seoul and Busan mayoral offices and the presidential election, Yoon's high approval rating and popularity are not being effectively utilized.

The People Power Party is currently distancing itself from Yoon. Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, appeared on KBS News on the 5th and emphasized, "I think the increasing suitability of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol as a presidential candidate and how the opposition party will create a presidential candidate are separate matters."

Regarding the so-called "Yoon Seok-yeol People Power Party recruitment rumor," he dismissed it, saying, "Recruitment depends on his own judgment, but since he is still the current Prosecutor General, I think it is inappropriate to discuss this and that about him as a presidential candidate."

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is writing in the guestbook after paying respects at the National Seoul Memorial Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, to mark the New Year 2021, Yoon visited the National Seoul Memorial Cemetery with prosecutors on the 4th. At 9:20 a.m., Yoon visited the cemetery with five people including Cho Nam-gwan, Deputy Prosecutor General; Cho Sang-chul, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office; Bok Doo-gyu, Director of the Prosecutor's Office; and Jung Yeon-ik, Director of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office.

Yoon wrote in the guestbook, "I will uphold the will of the patriots who devoted themselves to the country and build a righteous prosecution." When he visited the cemetery on January 2, 2020, a year earlier, he wrote, "I will uphold the will of the patriots who devoted themselves to the country and build a righteous prosecution together with the people."

Except for the omission of the phrase "together with the people" in this year's guestbook compared to last year's, the overall sentence is the same. However, some in the legal community interpret that Yoon may have removed the word "people" to be mindful of the obligation of political neutrality.

As Yoon's approval rating as the next opposition presidential candidate continues to soar, experts do not foresee him taking political steps immediately.

Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "If we define Yoon Seok-yeol as a politician rather than Prosecutor General, there are many tasks to be solved." He added, "He currently has no political faction and, above all, no political experience. I don't think Yoon can resolve these issues in a short period of time ahead of the 2022 presidential election." He emphasized, "Also, he himself is not yet taking political steps."