Criticism of Lee Jae Myung's Remarks at Dongseongno Rally in Daegu
"No Issue Has Ever Been Resolved with 'Xiexie' to China"
Handonghun, a presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party, is attending the 5th party convention to select the 21st presidential election candidate held at Kintex in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province on the 3rd. Photo by Yoon Dongju
Former People Power Party leader Han Donghun criticized Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, over remarks made during Lee's campaign speech at Dongseongno in Daegu. Han argued that phrases such as "Xiexie" (謝謝, meaning "thank you" in Chinese) and "Gamsahamnida" should not be used to trivialize diplomatic issues as wordplay or to make light of them.
On May 13, Han Donghun stated on his Facebook page, "Candidate Lee Jae Myung remains trapped in a dangerous diplomatic mindset, insisting on saying 'Xiexie' to both China and Taiwan." He continued, "It is truly lamentable to see Lee Jae Myung's ignorance and frivolity as he turns diplomatic issues into a joke with irreconcilable wordplay in a bloc-driven global environment. The cross-strait issue is not a simple foreign dispute unrelated to us, one that can be brushed aside as if it does not matter what happens in the Taiwan Strait or in the domestic affairs of China and Taiwan, as Lee Jae Myung suggests."
He added, "If changes to the status quo by force are tolerated in East Asia, the Republic of Korea can never be safe. Furthermore, consistently saying 'Xiexie' to China, given the current reality where the US, Japan, and South Korea bloc faces off against the North Korea, China, and Russia bloc, means deviating from the values and shared interests of the South Korea-US alliance."
Former leader Lee Jae Myung is delivering his acceptance speech at the joint rally for the selection of the 21st presidential election candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, held on the 27th of last month at Kintex Exhibition Center 2 in Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Kang Jin Hyung
Han also criticized Lee's diplomatic attitude. Han said, "There has never been a problem resolved with China simply by saying 'Xiexie.' Has Lee Jae Myung's bowing to a Chinese vice-minister-level ambassador ever strengthened Korea's position in Korea-China relations in any way? On the contrary, China is attempting the so-called 'West Sea Project' with its structures in the Yellow Sea, and the so-called 'Korean Wave ban' has still not been lifted. In this way, China has not moved even a step beyond its 2016 perception, asking, 'How can a small country stand up to a big country?'."
In conclusion, Han said, "We can never entrust the fate of the Republic of Korea to an ignorant and dangerous candidate like Lee Jae Myung, who believes that simply saying 'Xiexie' to China is enough. Any Korean politician who understands national dignity and the basics of diplomacy would never say 'Gamsahamnida' to the Japanese ambassador as a formality. The correct way is to say 'Gamsahamnida' in proper Korean."
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