"I want to ask if people like me are not given opportunities"
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Jo Dong-yeon, the co-chairman of the election campaign committee recently recruited as the permanent co-chairman of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, expressed his apology regarding the recent personal life controversy surrounding him, saying, "I am very sorry and apologetic."
On the 2nd, Jo appeared on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs' and said, "Many people must have felt discomfort and anger because of my personal life, and I want to say first that I am sorry and apologetic. Although it is a personal matter, I feel I must speak about it."
Jo continued, "From the beginning, I started a somewhat unbalanced married life, and both sides were left with only wounds as the marriage broke down. And about 10 years have passed. Personally, I have lived quietly without making a sound in the very narrow military community since then," he explained.
He added, "There were children I had to protect, and I had to take care of my mother who had worked hard all her life, so no matter what was said, I endured as if I were dying, worked as if I were dying, and studied as if I were dying."
Jo said, "However, I wanted to ask whether someone like me is not allowed the opportunity to show my children a more confident working mother after 10 years or even 20 to 30 years have passed. This is all I can say."
Regarding the background of joining Lee's presidential campaign, Jo said it was triggered by contact from a Democratic Party lawmaker. On why he accepted the position of co-chairman of the Democratic Party's campaign committee, he said, "I thought I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't take on the challenge. I made up my mind because there were people supporting me."
Meanwhile, lawyer Kang Yong-seok raised suspicions related to Jo's personal life on his Facebook on the 1st, saying that tips about Jo were pouring in. In response, the Democratic Party denied the allegations and announced plans for legal action.
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