First Bitter Words to Government After People Power Party Convention
Why Should Victims Open Their Hearts to Perpetrators?
A Healthy Political Force Should Be Neither Pro-North Korean Nor Pro-Japanese
Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min stated on the 20th regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's diplomatic visit to Japan, "I hope he reconsiders what boundaries should be upheld in diplomacy with Japan as the President of the Republic of Korea."
This message from former lawmaker Yoo is the first government-related statement on current issues since the People Power Party's March 8 party convention. Although he posted about Lee Jae-myung, the former chief of staff to the Democratic Party leader, after the convention, this is the first time he has directly addressed a current issue since then.
On that day, Yoo opened his remarks on his Facebook by saying, "I was going to keep quiet as much as possible, but this is pathetic, so I will say a word."
He pointed out, "The historical truth that Japan was the perpetrator and we were the victims in the past cannot be changed," adding, "Why should the victim open their heart to the perpetrator? Shouldn't the perpetrator sincerely try to open the victim's heart?"
He continued, "The logic applies to school violence, so shouldn't it be even more so in Korea-Japan history?" and criticized, "Japan even denies the coerciveness of forced labor and forced conscription."
Yoo's remarks came in response to President Yoon's spokesperson Lee Do-woon briefing that "at this point, I think we have somewhat succeeded in opening the hearts of the Japanese" regarding the president's visit to Japan.
He acknowledged, "I am aware that the 2018 Supreme Court ruling conflicts with international law. It is also true that the Moon Jae-in administration's diplomacy with Japan was flawed," but stated, "That does not mean we should take a submissive stance toward Japan, which tries to deny the truth of history."
He also emphasized, "We must firmly uphold our principles on issues of sovereignty and history such as Dokdo, comfort women, forced labor, and the UNESCO registration of Sado Mine," adding, "That is the way to not bring shame to the spirits of our patriotic martyrs and to alleviate even a little the grievances of comfort women and forced labor victims."
Former lawmaker Yoo criticized, "'Shut up and be anti-Japan' is not acceptable, but neither is pro-Japanese who deny history," and said, "If we are a sound political force in the Republic of Korea, we should be neither pro-North nor pro-Japanese."
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