Gominjeong: "President Yoon, Going to Japan Just to Take Photos"

Posting on Facebook to Criticize the President
President Yoon's Visit to Japan on 16-17... South Korea-Japan Summit Meeting

Ko Min-jung, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, raised her voice against President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is scheduled to visit Japan on the 16th, saying, "This Korea-Japan summit looks servile, like Joseon going to offer tribute, giving in to everything Japan demands and still not enough."

On the 13th, Ko posted on her Facebook, saying, "President Yoon is carrying out a surrender diplomacy that everyone is advising against, just to showcase his achievements."

Ko Min-jung, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 16th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Recently, the government announced a solution for compensation for forced labor victims, but related controversies continue. President Yoon proposed a 'third-party compensation plan' where the 'Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Imperialism,' under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, pays compensation to the victims instead of the Japanese defendant companies. However, criticism arose that since the official apology and compensation from the Japanese government and companies were omitted, our government effectively exempted Japan from legal responsibility.

Ko criticized, "President Yoon is going to Japan for the Korea-Japan summit on the 16th and 17th without securing participation in compensation from the perpetrator group, Japanese companies, without obtaining an apology, and without resolving the Japanese export restrictions issue. Is he just going there to take pictures?"

Ko also pointed out that not only is there strong domestic opposition to the government's forced labor solution, but it has also failed to gain the Japanese government's response. She said, "According to a Gallup poll on the 10th, 59% opposed the forced labor solution, and only 35% supported it for national interest. However, the Japanese Foreign Minister denies the existence of forced mobilization, saying, 'There was no forced mobilization. It is already a settled matter.'"

Furthermore, Ko said, "We must watch closely which companies will participate in the humiliating 'third-party compensation' solution the government has proposed regarding forced mobilization compensation."