"Questioning Whether Normal Judgment and Respect for Women Are Present"
"Candidate Kim Jun-hyeok mocked female voters by claiming that his remarks were merely idiomatic expressions rather than offensive language."
On the 4th, women's organizations filed a complaint against Kim Jun-hyeok, the Democratic Party candidate for Suwon Jeong, for defamation and posthumous defamation related to his past remarks about military comfort women.
Democratic Party candidate Kim Jun-hyeok, running for the 22nd National Assembly election in Suwon-jeong, is greeting citizens on the afternoon of the 2nd at an apartment complex in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The 'True Women's Sovereignty Action,' consisting of 60 women's organizations, held a press conference at 11 a.m. in front of Kim's campaign office in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi Province, urging Kim to apologize.
They stated, “Even after his offensive remarks, Candidate Kim mocked female voters by insisting that his words were merely idiomatic expressions rather than societal speech,” and added, “He makes baseless claims without evidence, saying things like 'Isn't it possible to speculate that way?' It is simply astonishing that he carries a professor's business card.” They continued, “We cannot help but doubt whether he is capable of normal reasoning or has even the minimum respect for women,” and emphasized, “We women absolutely cannot accept the reality that such a person can run as a candidate representing the people in the National Assembly.”
Oh Se-ra-bi, co-representative of True Women's Sovereignty Action, said, "A person who evaluates history as they wish cannot be called a scholar," and added, "A scholar who speaks without evidence is a bad historian, and if such a person becomes a politician, they become a bad politician." She further stated, "Even after his offensive remarks, Candidate Kim mocked female voters by claiming his words were merely idiomatic expressions," and expressed doubt about whether he is capable of normal reasoning or has any respect for women.
Later that day, at 1:30 p.m., after holding another press conference with the same purpose at the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, they visited the Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency to submit a complaint requesting punishment of Candidate Kim for defamation and posthumous defamation.
Women’s group 'Jjin (眞) Women’s Sovereignty Action' holding a press conference [Photo by Yonhap News]
At 2 p.m. on the same day, members of the National Women's Forum, a women's organization, held a picket protest in front of Kim's office.
About 20 members held placards reading "Women around the world are outraged," condemning Candidate Kim and demanding an apology. The organization stated, "Candidate Kim's remarks are an act of disregarding female voters nationwide," and added, "We cannot help but be outraged that such a person is running for the National Assembly."
Previously, in February 2019, Candidate Kim appeared on the YouTube channel ‘Kim Yong-min TV’ and said, “(Former President Park) probably had sex with comfort women and military comfort women during the Japanese colonial period,” and “There might have been such possibilities. It probably hasn’t been clearly revealed.” This statement sparked controversy.
In response, Candidate Kim explained, "As former President Park served as an officer in the Kwantung Army and was dispatched overseas in the 1940s, I mentioned as a historian the possibility that he might have had sexual relations with comfort women in the occupied territories at that time." However, as the controversy continued, on the 2nd, he posted on his Facebook, "I bow my head and apologize to the comfort women victims and their families who have testified to the painful wounds of modern history with their whole bodies."
Earlier, on the 3rd, the Ewha Womans University Alumni Association issued a statement urging Kim Jun-hyeok, the Democratic Party candidate for Gyeonggi Suwon Jeong, who was embroiled in controversy over remarks about 'Ewha female students' sexual bribery to U.S. military officers,' to resign. They pointed out, "Candidate Kim's remarks not only disparaged the history of Ewha Womans University but also caused extreme humiliation to both current students and alumni," and added, "At the same time, they contain sexist hatred against all women in this country."
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