"Criticizing Lee Jae-myung Is Natural in a Democracy"
"The Most Important Task Now Is to End Internal Strife"
Democratic Party lawmaker Ko Min-jung criticized, saying, "Representative Lee Jae-myung tries to embrace and unify many things, but if the people around him cut off all opposing voices to the 'Myung Praise Song' and point fingers, how can criticism be possible?" She added, "The phenomenon of 'ipteulmak' (shutting mouths) has long been occurring even within our party."
Democratic Party lawmaker Go Min-jung criticized, "Lee Jae-myung, the party leader, tries to embrace and unify many things, but if the people around him cut off all voices opposing the 'Myung Praise Song' and point fingers, how can there be any criticism?" She added, "The phenomenon of 'mouth covering' has long been happening within our party as well." Photo by Kim Hyun-min
On the 7th, Ko appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and referred to the rising voices criticizing the one-party system centered around the Byeong (Lee Jae-myung) faction inside and outside the party as "a natural order in a democratic society." When asked by the host about her thoughts on writer Yoo Si-min's criticism of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo and others, saying they are "heading down a path to ruin," she responded, "The Democratic Party's path to ruin began long ago." She continued, "It is natural to be able to satirize and criticize Representative Lee, who holds the greatest power in the National Assembly, but over the past few years, whenever criticism was made, contempt and ridicule likening critics to watermelons (suspiciously green on the outside, red inside) never ceased. What role did writer Yoo play then?" she questioned.
She further emphasized, "People expressed great concern when they saw President Yoon Seok-youl and the People Power Party, who cannot say a word to the highest authority, singing the 'Yoon Praise Song.' Eventually, it reached this state. If we were to introduce that into our party, fortunately, Representative Lee is not as oppressive and violent as President Yoon, so that is a relief, but I think the phenomenon is not much different." She also criticized, "Writer Yoo's remarks are a kind of 'ipteulmak' as well."
Ko said, "The attacks against me have long reached a level that is very difficult for me to endure, and currently, the comments on social media by former Governor Kim Kyung-soo and former Blue House Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok have become difficult even for elementary school children to see." She pointed out, "(This political conflict) is something our Democratic Party must overcome and strive to block. What will children learn by watching the political world?"
In conclusion, she stressed, "The most important thing in our society right now is to end the internal strife," adding, "What must be done simultaneously is for all political seniors and juniors, whether from the People Power Party or the Democratic Party, to put their heads together, discuss, and reach a conclusion on how to end this society of hatred and animosity."
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