"Apology for Worship Remarks" Kim Jaewon Handles Aftermath of 5·18 Comments

Yeo Supreme Council Member Apologizes for Controversy on Facebook
Presidential Office "Firm Stance on Upholding the Spirit of May 18"

Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party, apologized for his remarks made while attending a service led by Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church.

On the afternoon of the 14th, Kim posted on his social media, "I sincerely apologize to the public for causing concern with all my remarks made in front of the congregation at Sarang Jeil Church's service," adding, "I will be more careful in the future."

He also added, "I would like to inform you that I will not oppose the inclusion of the spirit of May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution."

Earlier, on the 12th, Kim attended a service led by Pastor Jeon and expressed that the spirit of May 18 could not be included in the Constitution. According to a released video, when Pastor Jeon mentioned People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun, saying, "We supported Elder Kim Ki-hyun, but he threw cold water on us. He says he will include the spirit of May 18 in the Constitution, but do you think the Jeolla Province votes will come out?" Kim Jae-won responded, "That is impossible. I also oppose it."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

When Pastor Jeon asked, "Isn't that just lip service to Jeolla Province?" Kim replied, "Isn't it politics to sell even your ancestors' graves to get votes?"

As criticism grew, Kim Jae-won offered an explanation. On the 13th, when reporters asked him about the issue, he said, "That is my personal opinion," and added, "There is currently no movement for constitutional amendment. I said 'constitutional amendment is impossible now' because I was speaking as if it would happen immediately." Regarding the remark about 'selling ancestors' graves,' he explained, "It was a way of expressing what election campaigners say."

Within the People Power Party leadership, Kim's remarks were deemed inappropriate. After a lunch meeting with former leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, Kim Ki-hyun responded to reporters' questions by saying, "What Kim Jae-won said seems to be his personal opinion, and given the atmosphere and nature of the occasion, I assume it was not a very serious setting, but I think it was inappropriate."

Supreme Council Member Cho Su-jin also evaluated Kim's remarks as "inappropriate" during KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs' on the same day. She added, "If the Constitution is amended, all movements related to the development of democracy in our country, including May 18, should be included in the preamble of the Constitution, which was a public promise made by the President."

The Presidential Office also dismissed the remarks as "Kim's personal opinion." A Presidential Office official stated to the media that day, "President Yoon Seok-yeol's stance on inheriting the spirit of May 18 is firm," and added, "President Yoon has already expressed his position on the Gwangju May 18 Democratic Uprising several times."