Lee Jae-myung posted then deleted "Shoot towards the people!" immediately after the Muan disaster

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, posted and then deleted a satirical post on Facebook about President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'shooting order' amid the passenger plane runway excursion accident at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do on the 29th.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is announcing his position on the political situation, including the impeachment motion against Acting President Han Duck-soo, at the National Assembly on the 27th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

At around 10:08 a.m. that day, Lee posted on Facebook, "Shoot for Tomorrow! - Butch & Sundance. Shoot for the People! Yoon & Han." The 1969 film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" depicts Butch and Sundance, leaders of a bank robbery gang in the American West, fleeing to Bolivia. Lee's post was interpreted as a satire of the prosecution's investigation result that President Yoon had directly ordered frontline commanders during martial law to "break down the (National Assembly) door and drag them out, even if you have to shoot."

However, this was about an hour after the Muan Airport accident occurred, at a time when political circles were urgently demanding thorough accident management. Lee deleted the post shortly after publishing it. Kim Dae-sik, chief floor spokesperson of the People Power Party, told reporters at the National Assembly, "As the leader of the ruling party and the frontrunner presidential candidate, he shows no concern for the people and safety," adding, "It is regrettable and unfortunate."

Democratic Party chief spokesperson Cho Seung-rae responded to reporters, saying, "It is a matter of timing between the accident and the post," and argued, "It is excessive to interpret it maliciously."