"Geumgiman Hamyeon Chehanda" Says Gominjeong... Jo Jeonghun: "This Is Exactly the Deep-rooted Evil"

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

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Jo Jeonghun, a member of the Transition Korea Party, pointed out on the 22nd that "this is exactly what entrenched corruption is" while defending Ko Minjung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who supported former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyungsoo, sentenced to prison for his involvement in the 'Druking comment manipulation' case.

On the same day, Jo posted on his Facebook, addressing Ko, saying, "Do not defend criminals."

Earlier, Ko commented on Kim's prison sentence, saying, "Even yesterday and today, I get indigestion whenever I eat," and added, "What should I say first? What should I say to express my feelings as they are? What should I say to control this heart that feels like my knees are buckling?"

Along with this, she left the hashtag 'No matter how far the truth is thrown, it returns to its place.' This was a statement Kim made in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Office after the guilty verdict.

Regarding Ko's remarks, Jo said, "She is implying that the court's ruling is not the truth," and added, "A verdict that is not the truth was delivered, and she feels distressed for Kim, hence the indigestion for two consecutive days." He raised his voice, asking, "Is it acceptable for a public official and member of the National Assembly to speak like this about the Supreme Court's ruling? Is it acceptable to defend a criminal like this?"

He criticized, "Ko is defending the criminal Kim with emotionally charged language like 'this heart that feels like my knees are buckling.' Manipulating news comments during election periods in the online world is an act that destroys democracy. The core members of the current administration know this better than anyone, which is why they did not claim 'unfairness' in the 2013 National Intelligence Service comment manipulation during the presidential election at that time."

Assemblyman Jo Jung-hoon of the Shift Party. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "On Ko's Facebook page, there are also comments from supporters saying, 'We must win the presidential election. We must not stop here. The history of entrenched corruption must be cleansed,'" and criticized, "If manipulating election opinion through comment manipulation in democratic politics is not entrenched corruption, then what is? Moreover, even in such matters, dividing sides and blindly supporting one's own side is the very entrenched factionalism we are trying so hard to overcome."

Furthermore, Jo emphasized, "It is clear what should be said not only by Ko but also by the Democratic Party leadership and presidential candidates," and stressed, "As members of the Democratic Party, they should apologize for the fact that, following the mayors of Seoul and Busan, the third metropolitan leader from their party could not complete their term due to their own corruption."

Meanwhile, on the 21st, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Lee Dongwon) upheld the lower court's ruling sentencing Kim to two years in prison in the final appeal trial on charges of comment manipulation. Regarding the violation of the Public Official Election Act, the court ruled not guilty, consistent with the lower court's decision.

The court stated, "There is no error in the lower court's judgment recognizing guilt, such as exceeding the limits of free evaluation of evidence, misapplication of law regarding the establishment of joint principal offenders, contradictions in reasoning, or omission of judgment."

Previously, Kim was prosecuted for conspiring with Kim Dongwon, known as 'Druking,' and his associates to manipulate public opinion using an automated program (macro) called 'King Crab' from November 2016 to support Moon Jaein, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, on charges including computer-related obstruction of business.