"Disaster Relief Funds? Like Giving Dog Food... Let's Not Become Gaedoeji," No Jae-seung Sparks Controversy Again

Far-Right SNS Posts Spark Controversy Day After Day

No Jae-seung, Co-Chairman of the People Power Party Joint Election Committee. / Photo by YouTube Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Amid ongoing controversy over past remarks by No Jaeseung, co-chairman of the People Power Party's joint election campaign committee, a social media post has now been confirmed in which he referred to those who received the nationwide COVID-19 disaster relief funds as 'gae-dwaeji' (dogs and pigs).

Last May, No shared a screenshot of the emergency disaster relief fund inquiry service on his Instagram and wrote, "I've never done anything productive even once in my life, so I guess all I know how to do is talk nonsense and feed dog food."

He continued, "When I checked, the amount came out to well over 500,000 won. I just decided not to apply and not to receive it," adding hashtags such as '#gaedwaeji-do-not-become', '#586'. The disaster relief fund is interpreted as 'dog food,' and those who received it are referred to as 'dogs and pigs.'

No Jae-seung, co-chairman of the People Power Party's joint election campaign committee, was confirmed to have referred to those who received the nationwide COVID-19 disaster relief funds as "dogs and pigs." / Photo by No, Instagram capture

No also posted a message criticizing Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, and his basic income pledge, again referring to recipients as 'gae-dwaeji.'

In July, targeting Lee on Facebook, he said, "It is truly deplorable that the reality of South Korea is that someone boasting about their arithmetic skills is competing for the presidency," and wrote, "You gae-x-dwaeji still can't come to your senses?" He also added hashtags saying, '#If someone says they'll give you money, check where that money is coming from before you say you'll take it, you gaedwaeji.'

No has also sparked controversy by making disparaging remarks about the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and advocating for the abolition of regular employment. He even left a derogatory comment about Baekbeom Kim Gu, calling him "a man who killed someone because the gukbap (soup with rice) was served late."

Meanwhile, the People Power Party is deliberating over No's position. On the 8th, Yoon Seok-yeol, the party's presidential candidate, after attending a meeting with the Gwangju-Jeonnam Association in Seoul, told reporters, "(No) was appointed as co-chairman of the joint election campaign committee based on recommendations from several people because he is a young self-employed person, hitting two points: youth and self-employment. But I heard that the campaign committee is currently reviewing all the remarks he made as a private citizen."