“How Can Decisive Reckoning with the Legacy of Rebellion Be Achieved?”
Kwon Youngguk, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labor Party, is preparing for the debate at the 21st presidential election candidates' debate hosted by the National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission held at SBS Prism Tower in Mapo-gu, Seoul on May 18, 2025. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
In a statement released that day, Kwon said, "Following former lawmaker Lee Ingi, who mocked the Yongsan tragedy as a 'suicide terror,' this is yet another inappropriate appointment," adding, "Isn't former administrator Kim Daenam known as Kim Gunhee's complaint fixer?"
Kwon also questioned, "Why does candidate Lee give the microphone to such people?" and pointed out, "This is not something that can be dismissed as a mere mishap."
Kwon continued, "When asked about the recruitment of former lawmaker Lee, candidate Lee responded, 'Isn't everyone a little lacking in some way?' Stop praising names that should disappear into the back alleys of history. If you even bring in people who are trying to evade responsibility for regimes involved in rebellion, how can you achieve a decisive reckoning with the legacy of rebellion?"
Kwon emphasized, "The country after the public square must not be a conservative government that simply changes its signboard. Such a government would not be able to gain the support of the citizens who gathered in the square," and stated, "You must clarify the circumstances and your position regarding this latest recruitment controversy."
Kwon was selected as a candidate by the Presidential Election Solidarity for Social Transformation, which consists of the Justice Party, the Labor Party, the Green Party, and civil society organizations. Kwon, a former dismissed worker at Poongsan Metal, passed the bar exam in 1999 and has since worked in the labor field, including as a legal representative for the Ssangyong Motor mass layoff case. His main campaign pledges include: ▲ electoral system reform ▲ amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act ▲ a 1 million won minimum citizen income ▲ the introduction of a super-wealth tax on the top 0.1 percent.
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