Controversy Over Insulting Roh Leads to Visit and Tribute at Bongha Village
Party Backlash... Jeong Seyeon and Others Demand 'Nomination Withdrawal'
Yang Moon-seok, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Ansan City Gap in Gyeonggi Province, belatedly visited Bongha Village in Gimhae, Gyeongnam, to apologize. Yang became embroiled in controversy after it was revealed that he had written a column disparaging the late former President Roh Moo-hyun.
Yang Moon-seok, the Democratic Party candidate for Ansan Gap, Gyeonggi, is paying respects at the grave of former President Roh Moo-hyun in Bongha Village, Jinyeong-eup, Gimhae City, Gyeongnam, on the morning of the 18th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the morning of the 18th, around 8:50 a.m., Yang visited the burial site of former President Roh located in Bongha Village. Wearing a black suit and black tie, he maintained a solemn expression throughout the 10 minutes of his visit. He knelt briefly in front of the large rock where the tomb is situated.
Immediately after paying respects, Yang told reporters, "I came with a heart of apology," adding, "An apology to the bereaved family, and an apology to the people who loved and missed former President Roh Moo-hyun." However, he did not respond to questions regarding future schedules, including a visit to Mrs. Kwon Yang-sook.
In 2008, Yang wrote a column containing statements such as "President Roh Moo-hyun, who pushed through the Korea-U.S. FTA (Free Trade Agreement) opposed by 60-70% of the people, is a defective product." After this fact became known, calls for his withdrawal from the general election candidacy arose, and figures including former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who serves as chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, and former National Assembly Secretary-General Lee Kwang-jae, regarded as a 'pro-Roh' faction leader, also demanded the withdrawal of his nomination.
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