Jeon Han-gil Compares Former President Yoon to Jesus
"Jesus Crucified on the Cross, Saved Humanity"
"Yoon's Impeachment United Conservatives and the Right"
Public official Korean history instructor Jeon Han-gil compared former President Yoon Seok-yeol's remark "I came back having won everything" to Jesus. On the 14th, in an interview on Channel A Radio's 'Political Signal,' Jeon said, "Both the media and some citizens thought that (former President Yoon) would be very despondent after being impeached and returning to his private residence, but unexpectedly, he said, 'I came back having won everything. This is a new beginning,'" adding, "Hearing that, I thought he was like Jesus." Former President Yoon reportedly told residents on the 11th, as he returned to his private residence in Seocho-dong, "I came back having won everything, so don't worry."
Jeon said, "Jesus also always said things like 'Love your poor neighbors and your neighbors as yourself,' but in the end, wasn't he politically crucified? Jesus was sacrificed, but even then, he said, 'It is finished.' Just as Jesus saved humanity, I think former President Yoon, though impeached and his term ended, protected liberal democracy and created a rallying point for conservatives and right-wingers," he claimed.
Jeon repeated the claim of 'martial law order' from some quarters, saying he learned unknown facts through the emergency martial law. He said, "I saw the Democratic Party of Korea paralyzing the executive branch with 29 impeachments, and then the unfair investigations by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, unfair arrest warrants and detention warrants from the Western District Court, and even the hard-to-understand rulings of the Constitutional Court," adding, "It blatantly showed the huge judicial cartel or leftist cartel. So, it seems he said, 'Now it's a new start. I wanted to protect liberal democracy. Although it was a three-year term, I did the work of more than five years.'"
However, when the host pointed out that the president returning like a triumphant general could be a burden on conservative politics overall in the future, Jeon replied, "As time passes, lies cannot overcome the truth, right? I believe the truth will become more apparent."
Jeon also met former President Yoon at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, after Yoon's impeachment. On the 10th, through the internet media he founded, 'Jeon Han-gil News,' he said, "Former President Yoon called me before moving to express his gratitude and comfort," adding, "The moment I shook hands with the president, complex thoughts flooded me, such as 'I'm sorry I couldn't protect him' and 'How great it would have been if the Constitutional Court had dismissed the ruling and the president had returned to office.' I almost burst into tears, but the president greeted me with an unwavering, firm expression."
He continued, "Former President Yoon consistently said, 'I don't care if I go to prison or die, but what about our people? What about the younger generation?'" and "His concern was always for the people and the country."
Former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is facing his first formal criminal trial on charges of leading an insurrection, is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, to attend the trial scheduled for the afternoon of the 14th. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Former President Yoon, accused of leading a rebellion, appeared in criminal court as a defendant that day and conducted a self-defense for 82 minutes, denying all charges. He mentioned his 26 years as a prosecutor, saying, "I cannot understand by what logic martial law constitutes the crime of rebellion," and argued, "The December 3 emergency martial law was merely a peaceful message to the public, and it is clear that it was not martial law for military rule."
Regarding the 'order to arrest politicians,' he said about Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, who testified that he received an order to "arrest them all," "Saying I told someone to arrest anyone is a blatant lie," and about former Special Forces Commander Kwak Jong-geun, who said he received an order to "round up personnel," he said, "The truth is being distorted among Democratic Party lawmakers."
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