Jeon Yeo-ok: "Won Hee-ryong even 'bowed three times' to Jeon Du-hwan, so what wrong did Yoon say?"

"Yoon Supports Hong Jun-pyo, Who Previously Said 'I Will Become the Hope of TK Following Jeon Du-hwan'"

Former Jeon Yeo-ok, former Saenuri Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) lawmaker. Photo by former lawmaker Jeon Yeo-ok's Facebook

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Joo-hee] Former Saenuri Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) lawmaker Jeon Yeo-ok defended former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who sparked controversy with remarks seemingly supportive of former President Jeon Du-hwan, saying, "Did he say anything wrong?"

On the 20th, former lawmaker Jeon posted a blog entry titled "What kind of outrageous remarks did Yoon Seok-youl make?" and pointed out, "Is attacking candidate Yoon a 'one team' effort regardless of party?"

Jeon stated, "Without needing to assist with reading comprehension or understanding, (former Prosecutor General Yoon) emphasized 'leaving it to the top experts,' but people are fiercely attacking him, calling it 'outrageous remarks' and 'anti-democratic' because he said 'Jeon Du-hwan also did some good things.' Did he say anything wrong?"

She continued, "At that time, Chief Kim Jae-ik was truly an economic president. Now, due to Moon Jae-in administration's Jang Ha-sung, Kim Soo-hyun, former Policy Chief Kim Sang-jo, and former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mi, the people are suffering," and explained, "Candidate Yoon has a personal history of hiding after sentencing former President Jeon Du-hwan to death in the 12.12 mock trial."

On January 2, 2007, Won Hee-ryong (right), a member of the Grand National Party (now the People Power Party), visited former President Chun Doo-hwan's house to perform a New Year's bow./Photo by Yonhap News

Former lawmaker Jeon then raised her voice in criticism targeting other People Power Party presidential primary candidates who launched offensives against former Prosecutor General Yoon. She said, "Candidate Hong Joon-pyo might say he doesn't remember, but in 2017, he said he would be the hope of TK succeeding Park Chung-hee and Jeon Du-hwan," and questioned, "Isn't that a stronger statement than a supportive remark?"

She added, "Candidate Won Hee-ryong also directly struck Yoon with 'vulgar outrageous remarks,' but he had also bowed deeply to former President Jeon," and said, "Yoon did not make any outrageous remarks. His disclosed statement was appropriate. If you attack after reading this, you are either an extreme pro-Moon (pro-Moon Jae-in) or a supporter of the Democratic Party."

Earlier, on the 19th, former Prosecutor General Yoon sparked controversy at a meeting of the Busan Haeundae-gap party members' council by saying, "There are people who say that former President Jeon Du-hwan did well in politics except for the military coup and the May 18 Gwangju incident. Quite a few people in Honam also say such things."

Yoon also claimed, "Why do they say (former President Jeon did well in politics)? Because they entrusted him," and added, "People who were in politics at the time said, 'The National Assembly, which knows well, should handle it,' and handed over most things. Although there was a phenomenon called the 'three lows' at the time, it worked well because it was entrusted like that."

As criticism of these remarks spread, Yoon clarified on Facebook, "It is an undisputed historical fact that the Jeon Du-hwan regime was a dictatorship and suppressed liberal democracy," and explained, "If I become president, I will appoint experts and talents in each field to the right place so that they can demonstrate their capabilities."