Absence from the Highest-Level Meeting on the 27th Following the 23rd
Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party who was criticized for remarks opposing the inclusion of the May 18 Spirit in the constitution during Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon's Sunday service at Sarang Jeil Church, mentioned Pastor Jeon again at another lecture event.
Instead of attending the People Power Party Supreme Council meeting held on the 27th, Kim attended a lecture hosted by the North America Freedom Defense Alliance, a conservative group, in Georgia, USA, on the 25th (local time). It is known that Kim's invitation to this lecture was confirmed back in January, before he was elected.
At the podium that day, Kim said, "Gwanghwamun Square has always been a place funded by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), where various political slogans of the KCTU run rampant."
He continued, "In the right-wing, there were actually few people who acted and were active within political parties, but Pastor Jeon has unified the right-wing nationwide, and these days, it has at least become a stage for the right-wing camp to oppose the KCTU, making us feel 'Ah, there are people on our side too,'" drawing applause from the audience. This statement can be confirmed in the video of Kim's lecture uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Korean American Foundation in the U.S.
Earlier, on the 12th, Kim was criticized for expressing opposition to including the May 18 Spirit in the constitution during Pastor Jeon's Sunday service. When Pastor Jeon asked, "Didn't you just say that as lip service to Jeolla Province?" Kim replied, "Isn't a politician someone who would even dig up ancestors' graves to get votes?"
Kim Jae-won, a leader of the ruling party, was criticized both inside and outside the party for publicly opposing the inclusion of the May 18 Spirit in the constitution, which was a campaign pledge of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Although Kim explained that it was his "personal opinion," the controversy did not subside.
In the same service, when Pastor Jeon asked, "If I get you 200 seats, what will the party do for me?" Kim's response, "I will go to the Supreme Council and make sure your wishes are fulfilled," was also pointed out as inappropriate. There were concerns that Kim, as a member of the ruling party leadership, could be misunderstood as following Pastor Jeon's intentions.
Eventually, on the 14th, Kim apologized on Facebook, saying, "I am very sorry for causing concern to the people. I will be more careful in the future," and bowed his head, adding, "I also want to inform you that I will not oppose the inclusion of the May 18 Spirit in the constitutional preamble."
Kim's repeated absence from Supreme Council meetings also came under scrutiny. He also missed the Supreme Council meeting on the 23rd. The meeting was held in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, which the new People Power Party leadership chose as the first on-site Supreme Council meeting location to emphasize "walking together with Honam." Some interpreted his absence as a choice considering the boiling public sentiment in Honam, while others criticized that he should have visited Honam and publicly apologized for his remarks related to May 18.
Kim Ki-hyun, the People Power Party leader, said to reporters after the Supreme Council meeting that day, regarding Kim Jae-won's absence, "We do not supervise attendance one by one, nor do we call for attendance. I heard it was an overseas business trip," and drew a line by saying, "I am not in a position to explain or announce who attends and who does not."
Senior spokesperson Yoo Sang-beom also said, "At first, it was because of the May 18 remarks, but this time I understand it was due to personal reasons," adding, "Originally, no one forces Supreme Council members to attend meetings or make public remarks."
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