Yang Moon-seok, Formerly Controversial for 'Insulting Roh Moo-hyun,' Offers "Sincere Apology"

"Have Taken Numerous Moments of Reflection and Apology"

Yang Moon-seok, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Gyeonggi Ansan Gap, apologized for writing a column in the past that compared the late former President Roh Moo-hyun to a "defective product."

On the 16th, Yang posted on X (formerly Twitter), "I sincerely apologize to the bereaved family who were disappointed and hurt by my writing about former President Roh and to the many people who respect him."

Yang said, "As a politician, I have fully entered the political arena," and added, "I have learned numerous factors to consider in political judgment, and each time, I began to understand the anguish of former President Roh."

He continued, "In every moment of frustration I experienced in the political field, I was comforted by former President Roh's political journey," emphasizing, "and I have had many moments of reflection and apology," expressing his repeated apologies.

Yang was criticized for disparaging former President Roh, the foundation of the party, after it was revealed that he wrote a column in 2008 stating that "President Roh Moo-hyun, who pushed through the Korea-U.S. FTA despite 60-70% of the people opposing it, is a defective product." In particular, opinions demanding a "reconsideration of nomination" emerged mainly from the anti-Lee Jae-myung (Bi Lee Jae-myung) faction and the pro-Roh Moo-hyun (Chin Roh) forces.

Kim Boo-kyum, the party's standing co-chairman of the election committee, pointed out, "It is necessary to verify and confirm once again," and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation) and former National Assembly Secretary-General Lee Kwang-jae also urged the party to make a "decision."