A Short Video of Former Prosecutor General Yoon Tapping Assemblyman Hong Joon-pyo's Shoulder Sparks Controversy Online
Former Prosecutor General and People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol is participating in the 4th TV debate at Busan MBC on the afternoon of the 18th. (Photo by Yonhap News)
[Asia Economy Reporters Bomryeong Geum and Juni Park] Yoon Seok-yeol, former Prosecutor General and presidential candidate of the People Power Party, continues to face an unstable presidential campaign due to a triple crisis involving 'in-law risk,' 'lawful disciplinary action,' and 'accusations of instigating complaints.' In addition to a series of verbal blunders, he is currently enduring controversy over allegedly ignoring his primary rival and senior prosecutor, Assemblyman Hong Joon-pyo.
Assemblyman Hong, who has been strongly pressuring former Prosecutor General Yoon, recently demanded the 'disclosure of his wife’s bank accounts,' and Yoon accepted this demand, bringing the issue to the surface somewhat involuntarily. During the head-to-head debate held on the 15th, Assemblyman Hong urged the disclosure of the securities account transaction history related to allegations of stock price manipulation involving Yoon’s wife, Kim Gun-hee, and Yoon responded, "I will disclose it." However, as the accounts have not been disclosed even after several days, some analysts suggest that Yoon may have fallen into Hong’s strategic trap.
Online, a short video showing former Prosecutor General Yoon lightly tapping Assemblyman Hong’s shoulder has sparked controversy. Although the video has no audio, the lip movements suggest that Yoon approached Hong and said, "Stop it," while tapping his shoulder. Kwon Seong-dong, head of Yoon’s campaign headquarters and a People Power Party assemblyman, explained on KBS radio on the 19th that it was "just a friendly tap." However, considering Hong is much older and a senior in the Judicial Research and Training Institute, some view Yoon’s behavior as somewhat 'rude.'
Yoon’s camp is also struggling to find an escape from the first trial ruling that former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae’s disciplinary action against him was lawful, as well as from the accusations of instigating complaints. The ruling has led to strong attacks from the ruling party. The Democratic Party of Korea recently filed a complaint with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) against Yoon, who is implicated in the 'Channel A case obstruction of inspection and investigation' and the 'judge surveillance document' allegations. On the morning of the same day, Democratic Party floor leader Yoon Ho-jung criticized at the National Assembly audit strategy meeting, saying, "If a public official lacks even the basic virtue of 'public mind,' it is absurd to expect the people to choose them." Yoon’s spokesperson Kim Byung-min maintained that the ruling was 'political,' stating, "The core of the ruling concerns obstruction of inspection and investigation in the Channel A case, but it is regrettable that the court may have accepted the accounts of prosecutors under former Minister Chu as they were, seemingly to oust former Prosecutor General Yoon."
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