Revisiting 'YouTube Remarks' Before Pyeongchang Winter Olympics
Ruling Party: "Disrespect to Military Personnel, Distorted Sense of Nationalism"
The Democratic Party of Korea is struggling with a 'controversial remarks' issue ahead of the general election. Jeong Bong-ju, a former lawmaker who won against Park Yong-jin in the Seoul Gangbuk-gu Eul primary, is facing criticism again as his past problematic remark about 'crutch giveaways' has resurfaced.
On the 13th, Jeong Bong-ju posted on Facebook, "I personally apologized by phone to the person involved immediately after the 'crutch giveaway' remark, and promptly deleted the related videos," adding, "I sincerely apologize for my past remarks with the same heart then and now."
The problematic remark dates back to 2017. At that time, Jeong said on a YouTube broadcast ahead of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, "Isn't there something cool in the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)? An anti-personnel landmine," and added, "We would enter the DMZ, offer prizes, and give crutches to those who step on the landmines." Earlier, in August 2015, soldiers conducting a search operation in the DMZ in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, lost legs and ankles due to the explosion of wooden box landmines planted by North Korean troops. Jeong's remark was heavily criticized as it was suspected of mocking this incident.
After Jeong won the primary, the ruling party recalled this incident and launched an offensive. Park Jeong-ha, the chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in a statement the day before, "The remark is suspected to have been made with the landmine explosion incident in mind," and criticized, "It shows a distorted sense of national values." He added, "The values and awareness of a candidate running for the general election to become a representative of the people are at a terrible level," and "Although the YouTube content was deleted, that does not mean the problematic remark can be erased from the public's memory."
Meanwhile, on the same day, Lee Jae-myung, the party leader, urged at the Central Election Committee meeting held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, "All candidates and members of our Democratic Party, including myself, must be more cautious with our words and actions going forward." Lee himself was criticized after laughing and saying to a young man he met at a restaurant during a campaign in Gyeyang-gu Eul, Incheon, on the 8th, "Surely not '2-jjik', not '2-jjik'."
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