"I Miss You, Your Excellency"... Lee Cheol-woo Standing Next to Yoon, Someone Behind Spotted

Posting a Photo with Presidents Lee Seung-man and Park Chung-hee in the Background
"Gakha" Was a Term Used to Address the President During the Authoritarian Era

Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, once again posted on his social media service (SNS) advocating for calling President Yoon Seok-yeol "Gakha (閣下)." On the 12th, Lee also posted on SNS suggesting that the Constitutional Court should dismiss the impeachment trial ('Gakha (却下)') and proposed calling President Yoon "Gakha," but deleted the post amid growing controversy.

At around 7:40 a.m. on the 18th, Governor Lee posted a composite photo of himself and President Yoon in front of the statue of President Park Chung-hee, which was erected in the Millennium Forest in front of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office. The composite photo included the text "Your Excellency" and the word "OK" above President Yoon's shoulder. Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, Facebook

At around 7:40 a.m. on the 18th, Governor Lee posted a composite photo of himself and President Yoon in front of the statue of President Park Jeong-ui, erected in the Millennium Forest in front of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office. The composite photo included the phrase "It is Gakha" and the word "OK" above President Yoon's shoulder. The original post has since disappeared, leaving only a photo posted about five minutes later. This photo features President Lee Seung-man and President Park Jeong-hee in the background, with President Yoon and Governor Lee standing together, accompanied by the phrase "I want to see Gakha."

Earlier, Governor Lee posted on his SNS, "Let's start a movement to call President Yoon Seok-yeol 'Gakha,'" adding, "Although the meanings differ, let's start a movement to call President Yoon Seok-yeol 'Gakha,' which sounds the same as the dismissal of impeachment, so that the impeachment will be dismissed." He deleted the post after facing strong criticism. At the time, Governor Lee explained to a media outlet, "I intended it as a wordplay, but since the 20s and 30s generation who do not understand the word 'Gakha' well might misunderstand unnecessarily, I deleted the post."

At around 7:40 a.m. on the 18th, Governor Lee posted a photo that combined himself and President Yoon in front of the statue of President Park Chung-hee, which was erected in the Millennium Forest in front of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office. The composite photo included the text "Gakhaimnida" and the word "OK" above President Yoon's shoulder. Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, Facebook

"Gakha" was a term used to honor the president during the authoritarian era. After democratization in 1987, the term was discouraged during the Roh Tae-woo administration, and it was banned during the Kim Young-sam government. Although the term was still occasionally used within the Blue House afterward, "Daetongnyeonim (President)" became the standard form of address. More recently, the term "Gaka" has been used mockingly online. For example, former President Park Geun-hye or First Lady Kim Geon-hee are referred to as "Lady Gaka" online.

Following Governor Lee's remarks, the Democratic Party of Korea issued a statement criticizing, "Governor Lee made an absurd claim to call 'the ringleader of the rebellion' Yoon Seok-yeol 'Gakha' to dismiss his impeachment," adding, "It is pathetic to try to revive the remnants of the authoritarian era." Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ji-won also criticized, saying, "It is fortunate that the ringleader of the rebellion is not being called 'Sanggam Mama' or 'Jeonha' (honorifics for royalty)."