Kim Geon-hee's '7-hour phone call transcript' remarks criticized as "words a presidential candidate's wife should not say"
"A real showdown between candidates will take place during the Lunar New Year holiday"
Lee Hae-chan, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, commented on some remarks from the '7-hour phone call transcript' involving Kim Keon-hee, spouse of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Lee Hae-chan, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized some remarks made by Kim Geon-hee, spouse of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, in the '7-hour phone call transcript,' saying, "These are words the wife of a presidential candidate should not say."
At a press briefing held at Gwangju City Council on the morning of the 19th, Lee commented on Kim's remarks about former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung, saying, "He is pitiful."
Regarding Kim's statement implying "If I come to power, I will not leave it be," Lee said, "That is a very serious statement. It's the first time I have heard such words," adding, "I thought she is not thinking with a public official's awareness but perceiving it at the level of personal interests."
On the presidential election situation, he forecasted, "Currently, the race is so close that it is impossible to determine who is ahead," and "The public opinion landscape during the holiday period, which includes the Lunar New Year starting at the end of this month, will influence the election."
Regarding the criticism that Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's approval ratings have stagnated, he predicted, "Looking at past elections, there have been almost no candidates with over 40% approval ratings before the official campaign," and "During the Lunar New Year holiday, the candidates will be widely discussed among people, and with debates occurring before that, a real showdown between candidates will take place, so there is a possibility of change at that point."
Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 16th, part of a phone call transcript between Kim and Lee Myung-soo, a reporter from the YouTube media outlet 'Seoul's Voice,' was released.
In the transcript, Kim said, "The Me Too movement was first triggered by this Moon Jae-in administration, and they said they would catch those involved. Why would they want to catch them? Life is too bleak," and "Honestly, I feel sorry for Ahn Hee-jung. My husband and I are very much on Ahn Hee-jung's side." Former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung was prosecuted and convicted by the Supreme Court for sexual assault and molestation using his power against A, his former secretary.
Jang In-soo, an MBC reporter who aired the report, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 17th and said, "(Listening to the transcript) Kim said, 'If I seize power, they will not be safe,' making such remarks against journalists critical of her."
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