[Summary] Lee Eon-ju "Called hostesses for a drinking party... Should have been ousted 21 years ago" vs Woo Sang-ho "Reflect on yourself first"

Eonju Lee Urges Sangho Woo, Younggil Song, Minseok Kim to Retire from Politics
Sangho Woo "Repeatedly Apologized for Past Mistakes"

Lee Eon-ju, preliminary candidate for the Busan mayoral by-election from the People Power Party. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 10th, Lee Eon-ju, the People Power Party's preliminary candidate for the Busan mayoral by-election, criticized Woo Sang-ho, the Democratic Party's preliminary candidate for the Seoul mayoral by-election, along with Democratic Party lawmakers Song Young-gil and Kim Min-seok, calling them "people who should have been ousted 21 years ago."

Previously, it was revealed that they had a drinking party with female hostesses at the 'Saechuncheon NHK Room Karaoke' in Gwangju on the eve of the May 18, 2000, Democratization Movement memorial ceremony, which drew criticism.

In a post on his Facebook on the same day, Candidate Lee pointed out, "Other attendees who had a wild drinking party with female hostesses at the room salon along with Candidate Woo should all retire or be ousted from politics for justice to prevail."

He criticized, "There are mistakes in this world that can be easily forgiven and mistakes that cannot be forgiven by words alone. Candidate Woo's disgraceful behavior and misconduct are not matters that can be forgiven with a few apologies, nor are they matters to be ended as if nothing happened."

He continued, "As seen in the sexual crimes of Park Won-soon, Oh Keo-don, and Ahn Hee-jung, the sexual crimes of Democratic Party politicians are suspected to be manifestations of a long-standing sexual consciousness inherent in the pro-Juche movement activists rather than individual deviations," and argued, "It shows the hypocrisy and duplicity of the 586 activist group, who outwardly advocate for women's rights, democracy, and human rights while degrading women to mere sexual objects."

Candidate Lee also emphasized, "Politicians who had that terrible drinking party with female hostesses should all retire from politics," and urged, "I call on the Democratic Party leadership to take the initiative to expel them. Only such measures will prevent the recurrence of power-based sexual crimes originating from the Democratic Party."

Woo Sang-ho, preliminary candidate for the Seoul mayoral by-election from the Democratic Party of Korea. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the previous day, Candidate Lee also pointed out on his Facebook, "It is an act of disrespect to the people that Woo Sang-ho, who showed disgraceful behavior too shameful to even put into words due to the Democratic Party's sexual crimes, is running in the Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections."

He raised his voice, saying, "How much must he look down on the citizens of Seoul to run in a by-election caused by sexual harassment, being a person who disparages women and lacks gender sensitivity?"

In response, Candidate Woo said on his Facebook, "Candidate Lee demands my retirement over an incident that happened 21 years ago," and added, "I have reflected on my past mistakes and repeatedly apologized."

He continued, "It is hard to endure such criticism from a political opportunist who has switched parties without ever reflecting or apologizing," and said, "A politician who does not know shame is not qualified to represent the people. I advise Candidate Lee to look back on himself before blaming others."

In another post, Candidate Woo said, "It is the thing I regret most in my life and a memory that restrains me from reckless behavior like an arrowhead embedded in my body," and added, "I have lived with the awareness that I am not such a great person, and I was able to become more humble based on that mistake."