[Summary] Jo Su-jin Responds to Ruling Party's Demand for Apology over 'Hugung' Remark: "The One Who Spoke Rashly Is Go Min-jeong"

Josujin "Gominjeong favored more than concubines who bore princes"
Ruling party "Unprecedented sexual harassment remarks", "Appalling"

Rep. So Su-jin of the People Power Party. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Amid strong criticism from the Democratic Party over Rep. Jo Sujin of the People Power Party comparing Rep. Go Minjeong of the Democratic Party to a 'concubine,' Rep. Jo responded on the 27th, saying, "It’s like blaming the finger pointing at the moon."

In a post on her Facebook that day, Rep. Jo said, "The one who made personal attacks and abusive remarks is Go Minjeong."

She directed her remarks at Rep. Go, saying, "Apologize for the personal attacks and abusive remarks against former Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon," and pointed out, "When I criticized personal attacks and abusive remarks, the Democratic Party distorted my words and launched a low-level offensive."

She continued, "Personal attacks and abusive remarks are the Democratic Party’s trademark," and emphasized, "Apologize now for the power-related sexual crimes of Park Wonsoon and Oh Geodon."

Finally, she added, "Don’t forget that the clumsy 'sexual harassment complainant act' is an offense against the victims of the former Seoul Mayor Park Wonsoon case."

Ko Min-jung, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, Rep. Jo had harshly criticized, saying, "I have once again confirmed the depths of the person called 'Go Minjeong.'" Through her Facebook, she said, "Go, who is cherished and loved by the Moon Jaein administration, mocked former Mayor Oh, who competed in last April’s general election, by saying he was 'not chosen by the residents of Seoul Gwangjin District,' which is utterly vulgar."

She raised her voice, saying, "Just before the election, the ruling party’s floor leader said in Gwangjin District, 'If Go Minjeong is elected, 1 million won will be given to every citizen,' calling this a 'money power (金權) election.'"

Rep. Jo also directly criticized, saying, "Even concubines in the Joseon Dynasty who bore princes would not have been treated like this," and asked, "If you were elected riding on the power of 'mountain power,' shouldn’t you be even more humble?"

In response to these remarks, the Democratic Party demanded Rep. Jo’s resignation, saying she made "the worst-ever sexually harassing abusive remarks." Democratic Party spokesperson Heo Young criticized in a briefing, "Rep. Jo compared a fellow female lawmaker to a 'Joseon Dynasty concubine,' making the worst-ever sexually harassing abusive remarks," calling it "an excessive extreme remark and an outrageous statement that will go down in history."

Heo added, "Because of Rep. Jo’s past abusive remarks, we never expected dignity from her in the first place," but said, "However, hearing such degrading sexually harassing abusive remarks from a fellow woman’s mouth, which insult character, is once again deeply distressing."

Democratic Party lawmakers Park Jumin, Lee Jaejung, and Kim Namguk also held a press conference at the National Assembly that afternoon, urging Rep. Jo to apologize and resign from her position.

They said, "This is a disgusting and unprecedented slander beyond the level that can come out in political disputes in the National Assembly," and added, "We are only devastated by the sight of trampling on the dignity of a fellow female lawmaker and committing clear sexual harassment."

They emphasized, "Sincere reflection and apology must be made, and since her qualifications as a lawmaker are seriously questionable, we urge her to resign from her position voluntarily," and stated, "We plan to file a complaint against Rep. Jo with the National Assembly Ethics Committee."