Yoon Seok-yeol Posted About 'Strengthening Punishment for False Accusation' the Day Before...Netizens Say "Right Direction"
Lee Jae-myung Records 'Dotface' Discussing Feminism
Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, held a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 7th, announcing his pledge for the metropolitan area transportation network. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, announced his stance on abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on the 7th. This is analyzed as a pledge aimed at winning back the votes of 'I-dae-nam' (men in their 20s), who have recently drifted away from Yoon's camp.
On the same day, Yoon posted the seven words "Abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family" on his Facebook. Although there was no further explanation, the post received over 1,000 comments within an hour, gaining significant support mainly from 'I-dae-nam'.
Netizens responded with comments such as "This is the right direction. The Ministry itself is divisive," "From today, 50% of people in their 20s and 30s will return. The pledge is impressive," and "If you proceed with this direction, it will be rewarded with overwhelming support."
Earlier, in October last year, Yoon had pledged to reorganize the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family into the 'Ministry of Gender Equality and Family' and to readjust related tasks and budgets.
At that time, he stated, "The Ministry has failed to properly perform its function of gender equality and has disappointed the public by promoting the idea of men as potential criminals, causing misunderstandings about the purpose of the Ministry's establishment and leading to debates about its abolition. The Ministry's tasks should be reorganized to comprehensively handle gender equality, work-family balance, and support for diverse families."
Photo by Yoon Seok-yeol, screenshot from the Facebook page of the People Power Party presidential candidate.
On the previous day, Yoon also posted a short message on Facebook saying, "Strengthen punishment for sex crimes, strengthen punishment for false accusations." This also appears to be a move targeting the 'I-dae-nam' vote. That post also gained great popularity, with over 4,200 comments.
On the other hand, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, gave an interview to the YouTube channel 'Dotface,' which deals with women's rights and feminism. In other words, Yoon is targeting 'I-dae-nam' (men in their 20s), while Lee is targeting 'I-dae-nyeo' (women in their 20s).
However, when criticism arose over Lee's appearance on 'Dotface,' he said on Facebook, "Listening to the opinions of the sovereign people is an essential duty of a politician, and selectively listening to opinions is not proper politics."
He continued, "I am well aware of the concerns and controversies regarding the media I appeared on. But no voice of youth should be avoided. Even if it means jumping into the middle of conflict, listening to different positions and opinions is the role of a politician," emphasizing, "Even if it is disadvantageous for the election and politically unfavorable."
He concluded by saying, "While filming the broadcast, I heard many stories and shared my thoughts. I will cherish all the criticisms sent to me."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
