Yoon: "Lee Jae-myung likened to a moth to a flame... No different from Cho Kuk's 'Gabunggae' remark"

"Unnecessary Interference Destroys Economy... Just as Deregulation Is Not a Panacea, Neither Is Regulation"

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is delivering a public appeal for support at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the 28th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party’s presidential candidate and former Prosecutor General, criticized Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, over his so-called 'firefly moth remark,' urging him to "correct his distorted perception of the people."

On the 28th, Yoon posted on his Facebook, "Lee Jae-myung compared self-employed business owners trying to run restaurants to firefly moths gathering around a candle," adding, "In Lee’s view, the people are foolish beings who can only become self-reliant if the government interferes and controls them."

This was a critique of Lee’s earlier comment regarding the 'restaurant permit quota system,' where he said, "It’s fine that firefly moths gather around a candle, but we must prevent them from getting too close and burning themselves."

Yoon said, "This reveals how Lee usually thinks about the people," and added, "His view of the people resembles that of former Minister Cho Kuk, who likened the people to 'gabunggae (crayfish, crucian carp, frogs).' It’s almost too disappointing to even use the word 'lamentable.'"

Previously, in 2012, former Minister Cho sparked controversy on Twitter by stating, "Not everyone can become a dragon, and what’s important is to create a world where people can be happy living as crucian carp, frogs, or crayfish in a stream. Let’s focus on making the stream beautiful and warm."

Yoon continued, "To compare the people who struggle daily to make a living to firefly moths is insulting. Our people are far more dignified than Lee imagines," emphasizing, "While Lee and his close associates profit from real estate, the honest and diligent people live their daily lives with integrity."

He added, "Just as deregulation is not a cure-all, regulation is not a cure-all either," and said, "Unnecessary interference and control distort market order and ultimately ruin the economy."

Yoon concluded, "The people are not as foolish as Lee thinks. The people are not firefly moths."