"'Toegye Yi Hwang is the King of Sexual Relations,' claims Kim Junhyuk... Andong Confucian Scholars say 'Unqualified, Resign'"

There is a legend in past writings that he was the "Supreme in Sexual Relations"
Yurim faction says, "Insult to Teacher Toegye... Unqualified, Resign"

Amid ongoing attacks from the ruling party over past remarks by Kim Jun-hyeok, the Democratic Party candidate running in Suwon Jeong, Gyeonggi Province, regarding 'sexual bribery involving Ewha University students,' it has now come to light that he once referred to the Confucian scholar Toegye Yi Hwang as the 'supreme master of sexual relations,' sparking controversy.

Democratic Party candidate Kim Jun-hyeok, running for Suwon Jeong in Gyeonggi, is heading to the voting booth for early voting on the morning of the 5th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim, a former historian, included in the second volume of his book History from the Margins Told by Professor Kim Jun-hyeok, published in February 2022, a passage about Toegye Yi Hwang stating, "There is a story that he was the supreme master in the realm of sexual relations. According to passed-down folklore, the ginkgo tree in Toegye Yi Hwang’s front yard would shake every night."

Following the revelation of this fact, Confucian scholars have demanded Kim’s resignation and urged him to visit and apologize at the Confucian shrine where Toegye is enshrined. The Andong Confucian Promotion Association, a group of Confucian scholars from the Andong region, criticized, "Toegye Yi Hwang is a representative Confucian scholar who completed Joseon Neo-Confucianism, and his teachings and way of life serve as a model even for modern people," adding, "He is unqualified to be a politician handling national affairs."

Dosan Seowon also stated, "Kim’s absurd claim is an unacceptable verbal assault that baselessly insults Toegye, a teacher of the national spirit and a moral exemplar," emphasizing, "It is well known that Toegye is revered by countless people both past and present for his devout practice in scholarship, character, and daily life." They further urged Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, to "immediately force Kim to resign and issue an apology statement to quell the nationwide outrage."

Controversy over 'Ewha University Student Sexual Bribery' Remarks... Lee Jae-myung Posted and Deleted Related Post

[Image source=Lee Jae-myung YouTube channel capture]

Previously, Kim sparked controversy and apologized for his statement claiming that during the U.S. military government period, Kim Hwal-ran, the first president of Ewha Womans University, sexually bribed students to the U.S. military. On the 8th, Lee Jae-myung drew attention by posting and then deleting a message seemingly defending Kim. Until now, Lee had remained silent without issuing an official stance on the controversy surrounding Kim.

On that day, Lee posted on his YouTube channel community a video titled "A Major Twist in the Kim Jun-hyeok Controversy! Testimony Emerges That My Aunt Was Offered as a Sacrifice to the U.S. Military by Kim Hwal-ran," along with the comment, "We must not close our eyes to historical truth..." The video showed a press conference held by 'Ewha Alumni Who Wish for a Proud Ewha Before History,' a group composed of Ewha Womans University alumni.

They stated, "Kim Hwal-ran, the first president of Ewha, is becoming a topic during the election season. The People Power Party and conservative media are zealously politicizing Kim Jun-hyeok’s remarks," adding, "However, Kim Hwal-ran is a publicly recognized anti-national actor under the Special Act on Pro-Japanese and Anti-National Acts. She is one of the most vicious pro-Japanese collaborators." A woman in her 60s said, "I saw a photo of my aunt sitting on the lawn with U.S. soldiers. It looked like female college students were having group meetings as couples with the U.S. soldiers," and added, "I only recently realized that she was caught by Kim Hwal-ran. She is a victim of Kim Hwal-ran."

After the video was shared on Lee’s channel that day, some interpreted it as a defense of Kim’s claims. The People Power Party immediately criticized, saying, "Lee Jae-myung’s silence on Kim Jun-hyeok ultimately amounted to tacit approval." Han Dong-hoon, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, also criticized, "Today, Lee Jae-myung posted a message defending Kim Jun-hyeok’s absurd obscene remarks." However, the post was deleted about an hour after being uploaded. Lee’s camp stated that the posting and deletion process was due to "a staff member’s mistake."