Gangwonrae: "If the perpetrator keeps saying 'sorry,' they will be resented forever"... Indirect criticism of Jeong Bong-ju?

Former Lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju Loses Nomination Over Controversial Remarks
Gang Won-rae Posts Meaningful Message... "Will Resent for Life"

Singer Kang Won-rae, who became paralyzed from the waist down due to a traffic accident, indirectly criticized former lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju, who was eventually disqualified from candidacy after causing controversy with his remark, "Let's give a crutch to everyone who steps on an ankle landmine."

On the 14th, Kang shared on social media (SNS) a post saying, "I was hit by a car making an illegal U-turn 24 years ago and started a new life as a person with a disability," along with a photo of himself in a wheelchair. On November 9, 2000, while riding a motorcycle, he collided with a car making an illegal U-turn at the Sinnonhyeon Station intersection and was diagnosed with paralysis from the waist down.

Singer Kang Won-rae, who became paralyzed in the lower body due to a traffic accident. [Image source=Captured from Kang Won-rae's Instagram]

He said, "In my life, I don't think I have blamed the driver of the car that made the illegal U-turn very much. I don't even know who he is and have never met him once," adding, "I just blame myself, thinking the accident was my fate, and I am living happily. If I were to go around saying the perpetrator apologized to me, I might end up resenting him for life."

Netizens immediately recalled former lawmaker Jeong’s past remarks after reading this post. In 2017, during a conversation with panelists on the YouTube channel 'Jeong Bong-ju’s Nationwide,' Jeong said, "There’s something cool in the DMZ, right? An ankle landmine. We should put up prizes in the DMZ. Give a crutch to everyone who steps on an ankle landmine," which sparked controversy.

"Give crutches to those who step on ankle landmines" controversy... candidacy canceled

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju is declaring his candidacy at the National Assembly on January 8. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In the political sphere, Jeong’s remarks were criticized as mocking two South Korean military non-commissioned officers who were injured by North Korean bounding mines in the DMZ in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on August 4, 2015. The controversy intensified especially after Jeong was nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for Seoul Gangbuk District.

In response, Jeong explained, "I directly apologized by phone to the person involved immediately after the 'crutch prize' remark and promptly deleted related videos," adding, "I sincerely apologize for my past remarks with the same heart then and now."

However, the soldiers who were actually injured by the bounding mines said, "We have never received an apology or any contact," fueling accusations of a 'false apology.' Jeong responded by saying, "At the time of the accident caused by the bounding mine, Lee Jong-myung, a member of the Liberty Korea Party, criticized my remarks at a press conference, and I apologized by phone," and explained that he could not obtain the soldiers’ contact information and apologized via a podcast the day after his remarks.

As the issue escalated, the Democratic Party decided on the 14th to cancel Jeong’s candidacy. Jeong lost his nomination just three days after winning the primary against incumbent lawmaker Park Yong-jin for the Seoul Gangbuk District seat on the 11th. However, a party official stated, "There was no problem with the primary, and the runner-up does not automatically succeed."