"Traditional Liquor Has Meaning"…Opposition Criticizes Yoon's New Year Gift Without Alcohol

President Yoon Sends Holiday Gifts to Opposition Lawmakers
Contrasting with Former President Moon Jae-in's Annual Traditional Liquor Gifts
"Gifts with Stories Like Young Farmers"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] As President Yoon Suk-yeol recently distributed Lunar New Year gifts to opposition party lawmakers, the absence of 'alcohol' has sparked various interpretations within the opposition camp.

According to political circles on the 19th, President Yoon sent Lunar New Year gifts to about 15,000 people from various sectors for his first Lunar New Year since taking office. The gift sets sent to opposition lawmakers included rice cake soup rice cakes (Uiseong, Gyeongbuk), grilled seaweed (Sinan, Jeonnam), red shrimp (Ongjin, Incheon), anchovies (Tongyeong, Gyeongnam), dried pollack strips (Inje, Gangwon), and shiitake mushroom strips (Cheongyang, Chungnam).

Earlier, Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, received a similar gift set and posted on Facebook on the 13th, "Receiving an unexpected gift makes my heart feel generous. I appreciate the thoughtfulness." It is known that the gifts were prepared with local agricultural and marine products to promote consumption and regional harmony.

Within the Democratic Party, attention was drawn to the fact that 'alcohol' was again excluded from President Yoon's Lunar New Year gift set, following the same pattern as last Chuseok. This contrasts with the inclusion of traditional liquor during former President Moon Jae-in's administration.

Former President Moon included traditional liquors such as 'Seoju,' made from potatoes harvested in Pyeongchang, the host city of the Winter Olympics, in the 2018 Lunar New Year gift; 'Solsongju' from Hamyang, Gyeongnam in 2019; 'Igangju' from Jeonju, Jeonbuk in 2020 Lunar New Year; 'Bamboo Leaf Liquor' from Damyang, Jeonbuk during Chuseok that year; 'Andong Soju' from Gyeongbuk in 2021 Lunar New Year; and 'Cheongmyeongju' from Chungju during Chuseok. Just before leaving office in January last year, his final holiday gift set included Munbaeju, plum extract, omija syrup, and chestnuts.

Although not all past presidents always included alcohol in their gift lists, former President Roh Moo-hyun also selected traditional liquors from various regions annually as key items. These included bokbunja wine in 2003, chrysanthemum wine and sogokju in 2004, and igangju and munbaesul in 2005. During his 10 holiday seasons in office, traditional liquors were included nine times.

In contrast, President Yoon has excluded alcohol from both of the holiday seasons since his inauguration. Even during his first holiday, last Chuseok, he included syrups instead of alcohol, such as plum syrup, omija syrup, red ginseng jelly, roasted black beans, flavored chestnuts, and jujube chips.

Former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye also did not include alcohol in their holiday gifts, similar to the current situation. However, under this administration, there has been more talk about the 'excluded item' of alcohol rather than the 'included items.' Some within the Democratic Party interpret this as an attempt to avoid controversies related to alcohol. A Democratic Party lawmaker said, "If the alcohol had a low alcohol content, or if it was high, given that the president is known as a regular drinker, it seems alcohol was excluded to prevent rumors from arising." He added, "On the contrary, it would have been better if the gift included alcohol that the president likes or 'Somaek' (a mix of soju and beer), making it a gift symbolizing harmony with the opposition."

A Democratic Party official who worked at the Blue House during the Moon Jae-in administration explained, "The reason for including folk liquors in holiday gifts was not only to introduce local specialties from all provinces but also to allow practical use on holiday ancestral rites tables." He added, "Alcohol, especially when made by traditional methods, can help small businesses, so it has a meaning beyond just being a local specialty." He continued, "If such meaning is to be included in Lunar New Year gifts, showing a little more sincerity could make a difference. Gifts with stories, such as those made by artisans over several generations or grains harvested by young farmers, would be richer."

The controversy over including non-domestic products such as Chinese peanuts and American walnuts in the year-end gift sets also resurfaced. The year-end gifts delivered under President Yoon's name contained 100% Chinese pumpkin seeds and peanuts, and 100% American walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and dried plums. The problem was not only that they were not domestic products but also that the recipients were 'farmers,' which drew stronger criticism. Yoon Jun-byeong, a member of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, posted on Facebook at the time, calling it "a crazy president sending foreign agricultural products as year-end gifts" and strongly condemned it.