Jin Joong-kwon: "Lee Jae-myung is Ignorant, Yoon Seok-youl Makes Blunders... Both Are Beginners"

On May 21 last year, at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon is delivering a keynote speech on the theme of "Fairness" at a forum titled "Yoon Seok-yeol, Possibilities and Limitations as President," held immediately after the launch ceremony of the "People's Coalition for Fairness and Common Sense (Fairness and Common Sense)." [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Jeong-wan] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon targeted Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, and Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party candidate, saying, "In my view, both of them are honestly political novices right now." Recently, the two candidates have been exchanging criticisms over each other's views on national security. Candidate Yoon criticized Lee's remark that "Ukraine brought the war upon itself," while Lee launched an offensive against Yoon's comments regarding the "entry of Japan's Self-Defense Forces into South Korea."

On the 1st, on CBS Radio's 'Hanpan Seungbu,' former professor Jin said, "This has basically turned into a war of words," adding, "During the debate, when Justice Party candidate Sim Sang-jung pressed Yoon, he made a slip of the tongue, saying things like Japanese troops are coming in."

He continued, "But the sensitive nature of that issue was overlooked, and he just made a slip of the tongue. Going further to exaggerate that Japanese troops are entering our country is also problematic," adding, "The United States is trying to establish a trilateral alliance with South Korea and Japan, and opposing that are North Korea, China, and Russia. I think both positions are possible."

He added, "In this context, we need to have productive discussions about the path our country should take. But instead, they are nitpicking and trying to impose frames on each other. This makes it impossible to reach social consensus," he criticized.

When Kim Seong-hoe, director of the political research institute ThinkWhy, said about candidate Yoon, "The problem arises because a political novice comes out without proper study," former professor Jin responded, "Calling them political novices is also a frame, but looking at Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party's perception of Ukraine this time, they are truly ignorant."

He added, "Even just one hour of internet research would show that this is not such a simple issue, but they talk as if they are experts, which is absurd," and said, "This is a matter of diplomacy and national security, yet their awareness is less than that of ordinary Facebook users. But they keep trying to impose such frames."

Earlier, in a speech broadcast on KBS 1TV that day, candidate Lee said, "Regarding the remarks about the 'entry of Japan's Self-Defense Forces into South Korea,' I thought candidate Yoon's diplomatic and security awareness has significant problems," adding, "It is a national perspective and view of Japan that is absolutely unbelievable coming from a presidential candidate of the Republic of Korea. Even if it was a slip of the tongue and not a conviction, it is a statement that should never be made."

Candidate Yoon also said, "If you defend Russia, which invaded a peace-wishing country by force, would you also say that North Korea's invasion of the South was something we brought upon ourselves?" and added, "(Candidate Lee) mocked the Ukrainian people by saying that the invaded Ukraine brought the war upon itself, which sparked international outrage."