President Yoon depicted as 'Naked Wang'... "Mockery" vs "Freedom of Expression," Heated Debate Over Political Satire

Seemingly Targeting Yoon... 'Political Retaliation' Sash on Hand Engraved with 王 Character, Even in 'Leg-Spreading' Pose
Past 'Park Geun-hye Nude Painting' and 'Julie Mural' Reexamined
Repeated Clash Over 'Political Satire': "Crossing the Line" vs "Freedom of Expression"

Under the organization of the Gwangju branch of the Korean Artists Association (Minmihyeop), the "Homyeong 5·18 Street Art Exhibition" is being held at the 5·18 Democracy Square in Dong-gu, Gwangju, where a painting satirizing President Yoon Seok-yeol has appeared, sparking controversy. Photo by MBN.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] A controversy has arisen over a satirical artwork depicting President Yoon Seok-yeol displayed at a street exhibition commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. The painting features a man resembling President Yoon, with the character '王' (king) inscribed on his palm and forehead, seemingly targeting the president's 'shamanism controversy,' and wearing a sash labeled 'political revenge' without a shirt.

According to Gwangju City on the 13th, the 'Homyeong 5·18 Street Art Exhibition' (May 7?May 30) is being held at the May 18 Democratic Square in Dong-gu, Gwangju, organized by the Gwangju branch of the National Artists Association (Minmihoe), featuring large paintings satirizing former and current administrations.

It is known that Gwangju City provided 21.6 million KRW in city funds under the name of 'May 18 Commemoration Project Private Operating Subsidy' for this exhibition.

The artwork titled 'Multistep' displayed at the exhibition depicts a man presumed to be President Yoon sitting in a so-called 'spread-leg' posture wearing only lower garments. The sash he wears bears the phrase 'political revenge,' and the character '王' is engraved on his palm and forehead.

Besides President Yoon, the exhibition also includes depictions of religious figures, military dictatorship, and conglomerates. The artist explained in the artwork description that the 'capitalist class structure' is expressed in five layers through famous figures in modern history. The top layer is monarchy (we rule you), the second layer is religion (we poor you), the third layer is military (we shoot you), the fourth layer is the middle class (we eat for you), and the last layer is (we work for all).

Reactions from citizens who viewed the artwork are divided. Some argue that freedom of expression should be broadly recognized in a democratic society, while others criticize it for excessively ridiculing the sitting president.

Dirty Sleep. Lee Guyoung (2016)

Such political satire controversies are not new. In January 2017, during the impeachment crisis, a work titled 'Dirty Sleep' exhibited at the 'Political Satire Exhibition' co-planned by Democratic Party lawmaker Pyo Chang-won depicted former President Park Geun-hye naked, sparking ridicule and controversy.

In July last year, the so-called 'Julie Mural' displayed on the outer wall of a used bookstore in Gwancheol-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, became the center of controversy. The mural contained content defaming First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon. At the time, the Korean Women Lawyers Association issued a statement regarding the Julie mural exhibition, stating, "Hatred and mockery of women are violence and human rights violations, not freedom of expression," and pointed out, "It can only be seen as an attack and infringement on personal dignity beyond political freedom of expression."

Regarding the 'Julie Mural' controversy, President Yoon sharply responded, "Our people are not so foolish as to think that such slander and inhumane acts would lead to regime extension," but did not take legal action.

In this context, former lawmaker Kim Kyung-jin, who served as a special advisor for external cooperation in Yoon Seok-yeol's campaign, appeared on YTN Radio's 'Lee Dong-hyung's News Face-off' and explained, "This is an issue on the borderline between freedom of expression and criminal defamation under the Penal Code," adding, "In the past, nude paintings of former President Park Geun-hye, including childbirth scenes, were forcibly defended as freedom of expression. Filing criminal complaints over such matters is ridiculous."

Meanwhile, as the controversy over the satirical painting featuring President Yoon and others grew, Gwangju City reportedly removed the city name from its sponsorship acknowledgment.