Yoo Si-min "The opponent is mobilizing slingshots, but am I supposed to keep my dignity wearing a suit?"

"Endured Countless Humiliations in Politics... Hope Lee Jae-myung Withstands"
Kim Eo-jun Appears on News Factory, Explains Political Issues

Yoo Si-min, a writer who formerly served as the chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, criticized the claim by some that Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, should give up his immunity from arrest, saying, "It's like telling you to put down the weapon you have and fight only with the weapons your opponent has," and added, "Those who make such claims should volunteer or engage in social work, not politics."

On the 8th, Yoo appeared on the YouTube program 'Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory' and said, "If President Yoon Seok-yeol attacks using prosecutorial power, Lee must fight using the immunity from arrest granted to party leaders and members of the National Assembly," adding, "In the political arena, each person fights with the resources they can mobilize."

Yoo stated, "When a president who arbitrarily exercises power in violation of the constitution and laws takes office, the customs and norms of democracy collapse in an instant," and criticized, "When the opponent mobilizes everything from stones, jackknives, to pitchforks, and some people say we should maintain dignity and face them dressed in suits, I wish those people would quit politics. They are just saying that to gain popularity."

Author Yoo Si-min.
[Image source=Captured from Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory YouTube]

Recently, Yoo's column titled 'The Strength to Endure Humiliation,' contributed to the citizen media Mindulle, has become a hot topic. In the column, Yoo wrote, "My one wish for Lee is that he does not lose the strength to endure humiliation and survives politically and legally," and added, "He should not give up immunity from arrest, fully exercise the authority of party leader and member of the National Assembly, and endure the 'public shaming' imposed by President Yoon in a human, political, and legal sense."

Regarding the reason for writing the column, Yoo explained, "In a democratic public sphere, various perspectives should be exposed and exchanged, but in the media, almost all reports mock, ridicule, belittle, and assume guilt in Lee's prosecution investigation," and said, "There must be people who think like me, but such perspectives are nowhere to be seen, so I wrote this to let people know that there are those who hold this view."

On advising Lee to 'endure humiliation,' Yoo said, "Humiliation means being insulted by others, and in politics, moments of unavoidable humiliation come endlessly," adding, "Only those with a strong will to achieve something can endure it." He also said, "Lee seems to be enduring very well now. I thought, 'He is a much better politician than I am,'" and added, "I have no right to tell him to hold on. I know to some extent how painful it is, so I just expressed my hope that he endures well."

He continued, "Citizens naturally distrust all politicians as a default," and said, "Because everyone pretends to be a politician for the public good, even those who truly work for the public good are inevitably suspected by voters." Yoo stated, "There is an information asymmetry between politicians as suppliers of political services and voters as consumers. Therefore, politicians must prove that they are trustworthy, and in that process, they experience humiliation."

When asked by the host, "What would happen if another arrest consent motion comes up?" Yoo replied, "A fierce and suffocating battle will unfold." He said, "Even if the Democratic Party collapses, if about 27 people say it should be passed, the arrest consent motion will be approved," but added, "However, I don't think such a situation will arise. And I hope it doesn't."