Controversy Over Reckless Criticism Toward Ansan... Lee Jun-seok Asks Jang Hye-young, "Isn't Justice Party Holding a Presidential Primary?"

Jang Hye-young "Lee Jun-seok, who denies gender discrimination, please stop attacking 'Ansan Short Cut'"

Female Archery National Team Player An San, Lee Jun-seok, Leader of the People Power Party
[Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 29th, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, criticized Jang Hye-young, a Justice Party lawmaker, who asked him to express his position on the controversy surrounding athlete Ansan's short haircut by saying, "Is the Justice Party not going to hold a presidential primary?"

In a post on his Facebook that day, Lee said, "We are busy preparing for the presidential election, so what was it that the Justice Party asked me to express a position on?"

He added, "Other parties are busy because of the presidential election, but the Justice Party is digging through community sites to demand statements from other party leaders," and questioned, "Lee Jun-seok hasn't even made any remarks, so why should I pay attention to community sites?"

He continued, "'If you don't express a position on A, then you are B' is an elementary school-level argument," and criticized, "The Justice Party will gain no benefit from doing this."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "I support athlete Ansan and every member of the South Korean national team," concluding his post.

Jang Hye-young, Justice Party member. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, some male-dominated online communities criticized athlete Ansan, calling her a 'feminist' and leaving malicious comments on her personal social media accounts. They took issue with her short haircut and the fact that she is attending a women's university (Gwangju Women's University).

In response, the Justice Party demanded that Lee Jun-seok express his position. Lawmaker Jang opened her statement on Facebook by saying, "I am curious about what those who claimed meritocracy would save the world and those who said there is no gender discrimination against women in their 20s and 30s think about what athlete Ansan is currently experiencing."

She said, "No matter how much you win an Olympic archery gold medal with your skills and abilities, as long as discrimination against women is widespread in society, you face the humiliation of having your medal, earned through skill, canceled for the absurd reason of having a short haircut," and pointed out, "This is the embarrassing reality of gender discrimination in South Korea."

Additionally, Lawmaker Jang requested, "I ask Leader Lee, who usually spreads the theory that there is no gender discrimination against women in their 20s and 30s, to responsibly assert, as the leader of the main opposition party, to stop the excessive attacks demanding the cancellation of the medal given to athlete Ansan, who won gold at the Olympics through her own ability and brought honor to the nation, using her short haircut as a pretext."

Finally, she added, "If you remain silent on this issue, many will interpret it as tacit approval of the excessive and violent criticism and demands against athlete Ansan by you."