Regarding the 'Prosecutor's Pet' Remark... Park Jeong-hoon: "Is Lee Jae-myung a King?"

People Power Party's Park Jeong-hoon "Lee, Do You Think It's a Sanctuary?"
Kang Seung-gyu "He Must Have Become That Desperate"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is facing a fierce backlash after calling the media “the prosecution’s pet dog.” The People Power Party is launching an all-out offensive against him.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is requesting people to be quiet while speaking to the press before attending a trial related to the Public Official Election Act held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 14th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 17th, Park Jung-hoon, a member of the People Power Party, appeared on YTN Radio’s ‘News Fighting with Bae Seung-hee’ and said, “(Lee and his close aides) seem to regard the power they hold as a sanctuary,” adding, “There are circumstances suggesting Lee’s involvement in illegal remittances, and if he claims that the media merely copied the prosecution’s indictment, is he saying that he is a sanctuary that must not be touched in this country, like some kind of king?”

Park emphasized, “The media exists to check power and plays the role of light and salt in our society,” and “It is the media’s social function to expose wrongdoings hidden in the dark so that our society can operate transparently.” He continued, “Even kings must be criticized in a democratic society, but Lee is outright rejecting that logic,” and pointed out, “The Democratic Party is collectively showing a distorted view of the media.”

On the same day, Kang Seung-gyu, a member of the People Power Party, interpreted Lee’s “prosecution’s pet dog” remark in an interview with BBS’s ‘Ham In-kyung’s Morning Journal’ as “a sign of desperation.” He said, “(Lee) is sensing that various judicial arrows are coming his way,” and “he is sending signals to fandoms like ‘Gaeddal’.”

Kang criticized, “Lee’s Democratic Party is fundamentally shaking the separation of powers system in our Republic of Korea, causing confusion among the people,” and added, “I wonder why someone who committed crimes is so complacent and causing such a fuss without paying the price.” He continued, “When the prosecution or courts make rulings or indictments, they launch fierce attacks in response,” and said, “I believe our democracy is being seriously threatened.”

Regarding Democratic Party’s first-term lawmakers like Yang Moon-seok defending Lee, Kang said, “Lee Jae-myung’s Democratic Party is all-in on shielding Lee, from the start of the National Assembly session,” and “The people are watching with great pain as the democracy of the Republic of Korea, which was hard-won, is now facing a crisis due to various scenarios surrounding Lee’s presidential bid.”

Before attending a trial on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act at the Seoul Central District Court on the 14th, Lee criticized the media, saying to reporters, “Rather than truthful reporting, aren’t you just taking information from the prosecution like their pet dog and distorting and manipulating it diligently?” In response, Yang posted on his social media, “I don’t understand why he is being criticized for using the elevated term ‘pet dog’ instead of just the common noun ‘giregi’ (reporter + garbage),” and “As a father raising a pet dog named ‘Kkum,’ I take pride in it and feel insulted by the pet dog remark,” showing support for Lee.