[Summary] "Unprecedented Insults," "Industrial Sewing Machine Gift"... Ruling Party Launches Fierce Attack on Joo Ho-young's Remarks on 'Moon Amnesty Target'

Joo Ho-young "President Moon May Be Subject to Pardon Himself"
Ruling Party Leadership "Feels Deep Humiliation... Apologize"

Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the high-level party-government council held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 20th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 20th, the Democratic Party of Korea strongly criticized and collectively condemned Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the People Power Party, who said, "President Moon Jae-in could also be subject to a pardon in the future," calling it "an unprecedented level of abusive language."

Kim Tae-nyeon, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, pointed out at the party's Supreme Council meeting that morning, "This is a statement that goes beyond political ethics and propriety," adding, "It is very regrettable that the leader of the main opposition party did not hesitate to make a curse-like remark treating the sitting president as a lawbreaker."

He addressed Joo Ho-young, saying, "Looking at the outcome, this is ultimately an insult to our sovereign people. It would be appropriate for Floor Leader Joo to apologize for this remark." He continued, "Prominent figures in the opposition party are competing to make very provocative and hateful remarks, but I urge them to maintain the dignity of politics."

Kim Jong-min, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, claimed that "It is certain that the People Power Party is an anti-Moon Jae-in faction."

He said, "Floor Leader Joo's dreadful imagination linking the sitting president to a pardon is shocking," and added, "This is a symbolic statement revealing the true intentions of the People Power Party and a declaration of retaliation that they will repay whenever they get the chance. It is a declaration of non-acceptance of impeachment and a direct challenge to candlelight democracy."

Yang Hyang-ja, also a Supreme Council member of the same party, said, "I feel deeply humiliated by Floor Leader Joo's abusive language," and questioned, "Not long ago, he mentioned impeachment, and now he says the president could be subject to a pardon. The prerequisite for a pardon is judicial punishment, so does that mean President Moon must have committed a crime he did not commit?"

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, is giving a greeting at the announcement event titled "The Lost 10 Years of Park Won-soon's Administration, a Promise for a New Leap" held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on the 20th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Shin Dong-geun, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, also criticized Floor Leader Joo's remarks on Facebook that day, calling them "an unprecedented level of abusive language."

He wrote, "It is abusive language close to a crime that insults and threatens President Moon," and "It is a declaration that they will retaliate unconditionally once they come to power."

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Kyung-hyup even said he would gift Floor Leader Joo an 'industrial sewing machine.' On his Facebook, Kim posted a photo of an industrial sewing machine sold on an online shopping mall, writing, "The parade of Floor Leader Joo's substandard abusive language continues," and "I am sending an industrial sewing machine as a gift so that he can no longer pollute the ears of the people."

The People Power Party strongly opposed this. Choi Hyung-doo, the party's floor spokesperson, criticized in a statement that afternoon, "Are you trying to sew the mouth of the opposition floor leader just because he advised the president to 'put yourself in others' shoes'?"

He expressed shock, saying, "I am appalled by the substandard abusive language of a three-term ruling party lawmaker who wants to silence the opposition floor leader's remark that the unfortunate history of former presidents should not be repeated with an industrial sewing machine," and pointed out, "To hear the outrageous remarks that were hurled at the late President Kim Dae-jung 20 years ago again from a senior Democratic Party lawmaker is something that would anger President Kim even in heaven."

The 'industrial sewing machine' remark has been controversial in politics before. Former Hannara Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) lawmaker Kim Hong-shin was indicted for defamation after saying in a speech during the 1998 local elections, "President Kim Dae-jung lies every time he opens his mouth," and "The King of the Underworld, who sews mouths shut according to the amount of lies, should sew his mouth shut with an industrial sewing machine."

Earlier, at the party's floor countermeasure meeting the previous morning, Floor Leader Joo said regarding President Moon's New Year's press conference the day before, where he drew a line on the pardon theories for Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, "The sitting president will become a former president as time passes. Once they become former presidents, they might become subjects of pardon themselves," and added, "I hope they always maintain an attitude of putting themselves in others' shoes."