"Those Without Means Even Eat Illegal Food" Yoon Seok-yeol's Remarks Spark Criticism from Both Ruling and Opposition Parties

Kang Byung-won "Are Food Safety Standards Obstacles Restricting Citizens' Choice Criteria?"
Lee Jae-myung "The State's Duty Is to Protect Citizens' Lives and Safety"
Yoo Seung-min "I Wonder What Their Usual Philosophy Is"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Criticism is emerging from both ruling and opposition parties regarding former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's remarks on ‘substandard food’.

Yoon Seok-yeol, a presidential pre-candidate who joined the People Power Party, is attending and giving a lecture at the People Power Party's freshman meeting "Myeongbulheojeon Conservative Season 5" held at the National Assembly on the 2nd. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

On the 2nd, Kang Byung-won, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized, "Former Prosecutor General Yoon said that those who have nothing should be allowed to eat even substandard food," adding, "I was shocked by the vulgarity of perceiving food safety standards, which determine the lives of the people, as unnecessary regulations that restrict the people's right to choose."

Earlier, in an interview with a media outlet, former Prosecutor General Yoon referenced economist Milton Friedman, stating, "Substandard food, those who have nothing should be allowed to choose even below that."

Regarding this, Supreme Council member Kang said, "South Korea should not be a society where those who have nothing must survive by eating substandard food," and criticized, "Is former Prosecutor General Yoon suggesting creating a society where protein jelly rations distributed in the tail car of Snowpiercer are accepted?" He condemned, "The people will not tolerate a presidential candidate who wants to create a regressive society."

Lee Jae-myung, a Democratic Party presidential candidate and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, expressed on social media, "I am dumbfounded. Seeing former Prosecutor General Yoon quote the neoliberal economist Milton Friedman and make this remark made me doubt my eyes."

He continued, "In 21st-century South Korea, recognized as a G-8 power, it is unbelievable that there is talk about allowing poor people to choose even substandard food or worse," and asserted, "The fundamental duty of the state is to protect the lives and safety of its citizens. Therefore, the state must ensure that all citizens are stably supplied with healthy and safe food."

Yoo Seung-min, a former lawmaker and presidential candidate from the People Power Party, the same party as former Prosecutor General Yoon, also joined the criticism. Yoo said on social media, "After hearing about 120-hour workweeks, the riot remarks, and now the ‘substandard food’ comment, I question what former Prosecutor General Yoon’s usual philosophy is," adding, "If the thinking is that ‘poor people should be allowed to buy substandard food by removing regulations on substandard food,’ then I want to ask if that means all regulations related to health, safety, life, and the environment should be abolished." He pointed out, "This kind of thinking is dangerous and violates Article 10 of the Constitution, which states ‘All citizens shall have the dignity and value as human beings and the right to pursue happiness,’ and Article 34, which states ‘All citizens shall have the right to a humane life.’"

He raised his voice, saying, "What meaning is there in giving freedom of choice to those who cannot choose?"

Meanwhile, former Prosecutor General Yoon explained to reporters on the same day regarding the remarks, "If it is not directly related to public health, I have always thought that setting standards too high, cracking down, and even imposing criminal penalties is an excessive abuse of police power."