"Female Wild Behavior" Choe Kang-wook Disciplined Again... Opposition Lawmakers Increasing Risks

Banner controversy continues, now including misogyny allegations
Democratic Party suspends lawmaker Choi Kang-wook's party membership for 6 months

Choi Kang-wook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, was disciplined again for a 'controversial remark.' At a recent event, Choi caused a stir by using expressions such as "a female is coming out and acting up" to describe the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. At the same event, fellow lawmakers Min Hyung-bae and Kim Yong-min called for the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol.

The Democratic Party leadership distanced themselves by calling it a personal opinion, but the words and actions of individual lawmakers are spreading as a risk to the party.

This controversy arose at a book concert for Min Hyung-bae's book "The Politics of Leaving the Party" on the 19th. When Park Gu-yong, a philosophy professor at Chonnam National University who was hosting the event, asked, "Should we now consider this a prosecutorial republic?" Choi responded, "A republic is not something you attach to like that. It should be considered a 'Kingdom of Animals.'"

Choi Kang-wook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who was prosecuted on charges of falsifying an internship verification letter for the son of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, is seen leaving the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of September 18 after the final appeal verdict hearing.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Choi then referred to British author George Orwell's novel Animal Farm, saying, "Even in Animal Farm, female animals rarely come out and cause a fuss. (The Yoon Seok-yeol administration) surpasses that," and added, "This is not meant to demean females; calling a female a female just means she is acting up."

Choi also likened the current government to 'beasts,' saying, "I want to take the path of becoming the strongest perpetrator of the ruthless regime symbolized by the Yoon Seok-yeol family. Without doing so, it is difficult to tame those beasts." Choi is a member of the Democratic Party's hardline freshman group called 'Cheoreomhoe.' At the same event, fellow Cheoreomhoe members Min Hyung-bae and Kim Yong-min advocated for the impeachment of President Yoon.

Regarding the hardline remarks, the Democratic Party leadership distanced themselves, saying it was not the party's official stance. Park Ju-min, the party's senior deputy floor leader, said in an SBS radio interview, "These are personal statements by these individuals," and clarified, "There is nothing under consideration within the party."

About five months ahead of next year's general election, the Democratic Party is embroiled in various controversies. A banner targeting the youth generation sparked criticism for containing content that belittled young people. The problematic banner phrases included "I don't know politics, but I want to live well" and "I don't know the economy, but I want to have a lot of money," which were criticized for portraying the youth as a selfish group uninterested in political, economic, and social issues.

The Democratic Party explained the banner controversy by saying, "The phrases were provided by the company," and "Neither party officials nor the party were involved," but this evasion of responsibility drew criticism and further fueled the controversy. As criticism intensified, party secretary-general Cho Jung-sik eventually bowed his head, saying, "It was the party's fault and mistake. As the secretary-general overseeing party affairs, I take responsibility."