Facing Backlash for Harsh Words... Lee Jae-myung Urges "Caution in Speech and Actions"

Jung Bong-ju "Crutch Giveaway"... Lee Jae-myung's 'Second Vote' Remark
Ruling Party, Controversy Over Do Tae-woo Related to 'May 18 North Korean Involvement Theory'

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, urged a 'cautious attitude' ahead of the general election. It appears he was concerned that the 'controversial remarks' that have surfaced inside and outside the political circle could negatively affect the election.

Lee, who took on the role of co-chairman of the joint election countermeasures committee for the general election, stated at the Central Election Committee meeting held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 13th, "In the history of democracy in the Republic of Korea, power that deceives the people has always been judged harshly by the people with a severe whip." He added, "We must engrave the four characters of 주권재민 (Jugeon Jaemin, meaning 'sovereignty resides with the people') in our hearts and approach the election accordingly," emphasizing repeatedly, "Our Democratic Party is no exception, and I myself will approach the election with a sincere heart."

Lee Jae-myung, Lee Hae-chan, and Kim Boo-kyum, co-chairmen of the Democratic Party's Central Election Committee, are attending the Central Election Committee meeting held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on the 13th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Lee also seemed to crack down on discipline within and outside the party, conscious of the 'controversial remarks' issue. Both ruling and opposition parties have recently been troubled by past statements made by various candidates. Lawyer Do Tae-woo, nominated by the People Power Party for Daegu Jung-gu and Nam-gu, sparked controversy for remarks made on YouTube under the title "If May 18 is unrelated to North Korea, one should be confident in verification," referring to the North Korean intervention theory. For the Democratic Party, former lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju's remarks during the primary in Seoul Gangbuk-gu were problematic. In 2017, ahead of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, he said on a YouTube broadcast, "Isn't there something cool in the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)? Ankle mines," adding, "We should enter the DMZ, hold a raffle, and give crutches to those who step on ankle mines."

Lee himself was criticized after bursting into laughter and saying to a young man he met at a restaurant during a campaign activity in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, on the 8th, "Surely not a 2-choosing, not a 2-choosing, right?" The term '2-choosing' mocks those who voted for President Yoon Seok-youl, who was candidate number 2 in the last presidential election.

Lee urged, "All candidates and members of our Democratic Party, including myself, must be even more cautious with our words and actions going forward." Lee Hae-chan, co-chairman of the joint election countermeasures committee, also said, "During elections, a single word can often cause great trouble," adding, "We need to be mindful of potentially problematic remarks and listen carefully to the words of our opponents as we approach this election." He expressed concern, saying, "Based on various election experiences, I have seen the election landscape change several times because of a single word."

Kim Boo-kyum, co-chairman of the joint election countermeasures committee, criticized the People Power Party's decision to maintain Lawyer Do's nomination, saying, "Commissioner Han Dong-hoon, who ordered a review, was quite impressive, but today's Commissioner Han, who decided to maintain it, is extremely disappointing," and pointed out, "It is something that cannot be reasonably accepted."