"Jeon Du-hwan Leadership Based on Loyalty" Park Bo-gyun's Past Column Sparks 'Historical Bias' Controversy

Favorable Views on Rhee, Park Chung-hee, and Jeon Du-hwan... Some Political Circles Point Out 'Historical Bias'
Park Bo-gyun: "It Was Criticism of Powerful, Living Regimes"
Earlier, Jeong Ho-young Also Criticized for 'Sexist' Past Column

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism nominee Park Bo-gyun is arriving at his campaign office located somewhere in downtown Seoul on the afternoon of the 11th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Following Jeong Ho-young, the nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, now Park Bo-gyun, a former journalist and nominee for Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is facing controversy over columns he wrote during his time as a reporter for JoongAng Ilbo. The Democratic Party criticized his favorable views on reevaluating the achievements of former presidents Syngman Rhee, Park Chung-hee, and Chun Doo-hwan, accusing him of revealing political and historical bias.

In a column titled "The 4.19 Generation and Reconciliation with Syngman Rhee," published on April 13, 2011, Park praised the former president, saying, "Syngman Rhee is an epic. His life was majestic and tragic. His faults are clear, but his merits are brilliant." In another column dated July 20, 2012, titled "History is a Weapon of Integration," he stated, "May 16 is a symbol of industrialization. Park Chung-hee ranks first among presidents in public opinion," and praised the May 16 coup as "the beginning of a modernization revolution," despite its origins as a coup d'?tat.

In a column from March 14, 2019, titled "The DJ Administration Was Good," he mentioned, "Former President Chun Doo-hwan valued loyalty throughout his life," and added, "The foundation of Chun Doo-hwan's leadership was loyalty. It evokes the feeling of 'Yangsan Park' from the classic novel Water Margin." Additionally, he proposed a stance toward Japan not as 'anti-Japan' or 'pro-Japan,' but as 'Ji-il (using Japan),' suggesting that Japan served as a historical stimulant for Korea and was a factor that triggered success.

The Democratic Party expressed concerns over his political bias. On the 12th, Democratic Party lawmaker Jang Kyung-tae said on YTN Radio's "News King with Park Ji-hoon," "Park, as a former journalist mainly covering political affairs, shows significant bias," and warned, "There is a high risk of interference in the media, which should be most neutral, such as the Newspaper Act."

On the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Oh-kyung posted on her Facebook, "Even if we overlook the lack of expertise and connection to the fields of culture, arts, sports, and tourism, the columns he wrote criticize all areas of the Moon Jae-in administration’s historical perspective, administrative city relocation, diplomatic relations, inter-Korean relations, and economy in his own language," and questioned, "Can we entrust the leadership of media reform, which must be serious and neutral, to such a person?"

Regarding this, on the 11th, Park responded to the controversy over his "historical bias," stating, "The basic stance of the media is to criticize powerful and incumbent governments," and added, "I have approached it from that perspective."

Health and Welfare Minister nominee Jeong Ho-young is meeting with the press and sharing his thoughts as he arrives at the National Pension Service Chungjeongno building in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 12th, where the National Assembly confirmation hearing preparation office is set up. Photo by Yonhap News

The Democratic Party continues to fiercely criticize President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s appointments. Jeong Ho-young, nominated as Minister of Health and Welfare, also faced controversy over columns he wrote during his tenure as director of Kyungpook National University Hospital.

In a column titled "The Path of Patriotism," published on October 29, 2012, in the Maeil Newspaper, Jeong wrote, "Looking back now, I think there has never been a time when patriotism was easier than now. The so-called 'right time' is marriage and childbirth," adding, "Just by getting married, one can immediately become a prospective patriot, and if it leads to childbirth, one finally joins the ranks of patriots." In another column, he sarcastically commented on the amendment to the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth from Sexual Abuse, which included medical professionals among the restricted employment categories for sex offenders, saying, "Korean-style stethoscope group purchase is underway. The doctor is 3 meters away, and the female patient must place the stethoscope on her own body according to the doctor’s instructions."

Democratic Party Supreme Council member Kang Byung-won expressed doubts that Jeong’s appointment was based on his personal relationship with President-elect Yoon. On the same day, appearing on KBS Radio’s "Choi Kyung-young’s Strong Current Affairs," he said, "Jeong is said to be a 40-year acquaintance of President-elect Yoon, but was he really chosen based on ability?" He added, "For the Minister of Health and Welfare, it is appropriate to appoint an expert well-known in pensions, health, or welfare. But this unfamiliar figure appeared simply because he is a 40-year acquaintance of the president-elect. The public will judge whether this appointment was based on competence or personal ties."

Democratic Party lawmaker Ko Min-jung criticized Jeong’s sexist views and called for his nomination to be withdrawn. On her Facebook, she said, "Jeong’s outdated mindset is even more serious. He regards marriage and childbirth as patriotism and a cure for cancer, treating women as mere tools for childbirth. We cannot entrust the control tower of low birthrate policy to such a candidate." She also condemned him, saying, "Jeong showed support for a medical association’s logic that shifts responsibility for sexual crimes from medical staff to female patients in his column. This distorted perception, which blames female victims rather than perpetrators, is shameful."

In response, Jeong expressed his apology. On the 12th, while heading to his office at the National Pension Service building in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, he told reporters, "As a former surgery professor, I wrote the article to simply explain my concern about the low birthrate phenomenon," and added, "If anyone felt uncomfortable or hurt, I am deeply sorry."