Japanese Asahi: "Yoon drank 20 full glasses of So-maek... thought the martial law mention was a joke"

Testimony Claims Drinking About 20 Glasses of Somaek
Also Reports of Being Drawn into Far-Right YouTube Broadcasts

The Asahi Shimbun reported on the 7th, citing remarks from a former minister who had several meals with President Yoon Seok-yeol, that the president harshly criticized figures from both ruling and opposition parties when he was intoxicated.

According to the report, President Yoon frequently held drinking gatherings at his residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, often enjoying soju mixed with beer (somaek) accompanied by pork belly and other side dishes.

Yonhap News

Asahi conveyed that when intoxicated, President Yoon harshly criticized not only opposition figures but also members of his own party. The former minister told Asahi regarding the mention of martial law, "He was under a lot of stress, so I thought it was a joke," adding, "Normally, he would drink about half a glass of soju or beer, but President Yoon drank about 20 full glasses."

He continued, "President Yoon's drinking sessions often lasted until dawn," and added, "There were also complaints from the security personnel responsible for guarding the president's exclusive facilities about the long working hours."

A person who acted as an advisor to President Yoon testified that as criticism over the stagnant approval ratings and autocratic governance continued, the president became engrossed in far-right YouTube broadcasts. This individual advised President Yoon to "pay attention to the tone of major media outlets besides YouTube to understand public opinion trends," but was rebuffed.

Asahi also included content about President Yoon's conflicts with Lee Jun-seok of the Reform New Party, Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party, and former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon. Regarding this, a former minister commented, "He weakened his own foundation." Another lawmaker remarked, "Politics takes a long time and is inefficient because it involves reconciling opposing views," and criticized, "President Yoon, being a former prosecutor who only thinks about efficiency, seems to not understand politics."