Park Ji-won: "Lee Jae-myung is a 'gangster'; Just returning Yoon's previous remarks"

"Democratic Party, Support Declines as Only Fighting with Lee Jae-myung"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won evaluated former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung calling President Yoon Seok-yeol a "gangster" as "just returning President Yoon's previous remarks."

On the 23rd, former Director Park said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "In the past, President Yoon, when he was Prosecutor General, said things like 'If you use investigative authority for retaliation, that's gangster behavior, not a prosecutor's,'" he said.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the highest council meeting the day before, Lee raised his voice about the prosecution's investigation into him, saying, "If you play with state power, that's gangster behavior, not a president," and the presidential office responded with "no comment," issuing no particular stance.

Former Director Park criticized President Yoon's recent remarks targeting the construction labor union, calling them 'Geonpok (construction site violence),' saying, "That is not something a president should say," and added, "‘Geonpok’ and such vulgar language circulating in politics have appeared in this context as well."

He continued, "President Yoon is not speaking as a president now but rather like a prosecutor, and because of that, it has become a boomerang that everyone is using," and said, "It would be better if the president refrained from using terms like ‘Geonpok’."

Former Director Park directed criticism at President Yoon, saying, "Stop oppressing the opposition, killing Lee Jae-myung, interfering in the People Power Party's leadership election, and saving Kim Ki-hyun," and added, "Focus on the people's livelihood economy, diplomacy and defense, North Korea issues, and cooperate with the opposition as the people wish to govern well. Doing those things won't work."

He revealed that in a recent phone call with Lee Jae-myung, he advised, "Lee Jae-myung's constant fighting is causing his approval ratings to drop," and said, "Therefore, let's acknowledge what has been done well. President Yoon did very well by presenting the agenda of the three major reforms."

He also said, "Whether it's President Clinton bringing the US Republican Party's 'support for homosexuality' to become president, or President Park Geun-hye bringing economic democratization and national unity politics to become president, bring new reform agendas and create reform plans through communication with the public, experts, and stakeholders in the National Assembly," and added, "If you keep waking up every day talking only about Lee Jae-myung, will the people like the Democratic Party?" he said.