Lee Won-wook: "Hardcore fandoms step up to protect Choi Kang-wook"
As the so-called "Gaeddal (Daughters of Reform)," a strong supporter group, came to the defense of former Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook, who received a severe six-month suspension of party membership for his remark that "females are rampaging," criticism has emerged within the party's non-pro-Moon faction calling for a "break from fandom politics."
Lee Won-wook, a Democratic Party lawmaker from the non-pro-Moon faction, stated on social media (SNS) on the 23rd, "The Gaeddal, a strong fandom that used to welcome and follow anything that Representative Lee intended, is now opposing the party's decision and rallying to 'protect Choi Kang-wook' in this incident," adding, "We must strongly warn the hardline pro-Lee faction who push the party to the brink yet refuse to acknowledge their mistakes."
Lee Won-wook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is questioning and debating at the plenary committee meeting for the review of the resolution on the improvement of the parliamentary election system during the 4th session of the 405th National Assembly (extraordinary session) held at the National Assembly on the 13th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Lee made these remarks as opinions expressing outrage over the severe disciplinary action against former lawmaker Choi have been continuously posted on Democratic Party communities mainly used by the hardline supporters, such as "Blue Wave" and Lee Jae-myung's fan cafe "Jaemyung's Village." Lee pointed out on these sites, "Posts defending former lawmaker Choi and questioning what was wrong with his 'female' remark are being posted, which is completely contrary to the public sentiment."
The "protect Choi Kang-wook" sentiment among the hardline supporters can also be inferred from statements by pro-Lee figures on SNS. Ryu Geun, a poet with pro-Lee leanings who declared support for Representative Lee, expressed indignation on SNS that day, saying, "It's common knowledge even if you only memorize the multiplication table of 2 that it was political satire and humor, not misogyny. Knowing exactly who that 'female' is, how can it be misogyny? Suspension of party membership?" He added, "Do you have the ability to govern? Do you have the will? Are you interested in the people's will?"
Park Si-young, former member of the Democratic Party Innovation Committee and head of 'Park Si-young TV,' raised his voice on SNS after the disciplinary decision against former lawmaker Choi, saying, "It's a really hard day to be a Democratic Party supporter."
Kim Min-woong, co-author of the "Cho Kuk White Paper" and representative of the Candlelight Action, also defended former lawmaker Choi's remarks, saying, "The point of former lawmaker Choi's statement is that the specific woman is not human but at the level of an animal," and added, "If someone lacks the basic ethics that humans should have, can't we say that they are not human?"
Non-pro-Moon faction figures argue that the leadership should take charge in response to the hardline fandom's actions.
Kim Jong-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker leading the non-pro-Moon innovation group "Principles and Common Sense," said on YTN's "News King Park Ji-hoon" on the same day, "If the leadership steps away from fandoms, cheer politics, or spectator politics and takes the party's center, the lawmakers who benefit from such things will be more cautious," adding, "Simply saying 'Don't do that. It doesn't help the party' as has been done so far is not enough; there must be a real investigation and disciplinary action."
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