Tak Hyun-min: "Yoon Entered the Party Convention After the National Ceremony, a Protocol Disaster"

"President's Movement with Traffic Control... Delays Are Inevitable"

Former Blue House Protocol Secretary Tak Hyun-min criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol for entering late after the national ceremony at the People Power Party convention, calling it the worst protocol disaster.

Tak appeared on KBS Radio's 'Joo Jin-woo Live' on the afternoon of the 9th and said, "The president's movement involves traffic control and all possible conveniences, so the president being late is impossible," adding, "It's a scene never seen since liberation."

Tak Hyun-min, former Blue House Protocol Secretary. [Photo by Yonhap News]

Tak said, "All events attended by the president start with the president as the host, beginning with the national ceremony. Even if the president is late, the entire event is delayed rather than having the president enter in the middle of the event." He continued, "It is also quite strange that people have already completed the salute to the national flag and the series of national ceremonies, and then the president enters without participating in the national ceremony, listens to the Les Mis?rables 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' and goes up on stage to deliver an uppercut."

Tak said, "Even if we concede a hundred times, there could be national issues or scheduling conflicts that require the president to leave midway to save time." However, he criticized, "The president did not attend the national ceremony, was welcomed on stage midway, spoke about the people, the nation, and freedom, received applause, and then just left. How can this be understood, accepted, or tolerated?"

He added, "I speculate that if this broadcast causes controversy, the Blue House will excuse it by saying, 'The president was late because traffic control during the president's movement was delayed. It was an unavoidable situation.' That is absolutely a lie."

He explained, "The Korean police do not work carelessly; all signal systems are rehearsed several times in advance. Therefore, the president is expected to arrive at the scheduled time within at least one minute." He continued, "If the president was late, the only reason is that the president was lazy."

When the host asked, "Could it have been a pre-planned event for the president to enter after the national ceremony?" Tak replied, "If that were the case, it would be an even bigger problem." He said, "The entire order of events for the president's attendance is reviewed by the protocol secretary and the political secretary related to the event. This is not just a basic matter; it is as fundamental as wearing pants when going out."

Regarding President Yoon's March 1st Independence Movement Day speech, Tak said, "I feel so dismal that I don't even want to mention it." He explained, "There was a reason why the Moon Jae-in administration paid a lot of attention to the March 1st Movement and Liberation Day events. Whenever I met General Hong Beom-do's remains repatriation or patriotic figures and independence activists of the Republic of Korea, I felt ashamed. I thought, 'Is this all the Republic of Korea has done for them since liberation?'"

Tak said, "Until now, patriotism in Korea emphasized individual dedication and sacrifice. But under the Moon Jae-in administration, patriotism meant that the state should repay that dedication and patriotism. Now, it seems to have reverted to the old way." He added, "How can they comfort the sacrifices and efforts of those who devoted themselves to the nation and people while showing laziness by not even attending the national ceremony, which is the minimum courtesy and attitude? We are continuously witnessing this absurd behavior."