Yoo Intae Criticizes Yoo Simin: "He Was Also an Aide... It's Time to Stop Talking Politics"

Yoo Si-min Defends Kang Sunwoo Over Aide Power Abuse Allegations
"Claims of Abuse Came After Dismissal for Misconduct"
Yoo In-tae: "He Should Showcase His Knowledge, Not Politics"

Yoo Si-min, former chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, received sharp criticism from Yoo In-tae, former Secretary General of the National Assembly, for defending Kang Sunwoo, the Democratic Party lawmaker who was a candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family. Yoo In-tae, a senior figure in the ruling party, said during an interview on the SBS YouTube channel 'Stove League' on the 12th, "He himself was once an aide, so honestly...," adding, "He should stop talking about politics now." Yoo Si-min previously served as an aide to former lawmaker Lee Haechan.

Yoo Si-min, former chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation. Photo by Asia Economy

Yoo In-tae commented, "Even during the last presidential election, mentioning Seol Nanyeong (the wife of President Lee Jaemyung) might have contributed to his approval rating not surpassing 50%," and added, "He should leave out political commentary and instead showcase his expertise on TV programs and similar platforms." During the last presidential election, Yoo Si-min sparked controversy after making remarks about Seol, the wife of Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, saying she was "not in her right mind," "has reached a position she cannot handle," and "is currently floating above the ground." After the backlash, he explained, "The harsh expressions were my fault."

After the presidential election, in a June 25 interview on the YouTube channel 'Maebul Show,' Yoo Si-min also addressed the controversy regarding Seol and announced that he would stop providing political commentary. He said, "While offering political commentary, I was frequently attacked not only by the People Power Party but also by the Democratic Party. Unlike other commentators, when I speak, people criticize and distort my words," and continued, "Political commentary is a heavy burden, and I found myself wondering, 'Why is it only me who faces this?'." He added, "Although I am not a Democratic Party member, I always hoped my activities would help the party, but sometimes things didn't turn out that way. When writing, I started to self-censor, which made it hard to write at all. So I decided it would be best to stop providing commentary."

However, on August 10, Yoo Si-min defended Kang Sunwoo on his own YouTube channel, expressing his opinion about the so-called "power abuse" by aides that led to Kang's failed ministerial nomination. He said, "When she suddenly became a lawmaker, she assembled her staff in a disorganized way at first. That's why there were so many staff changes initially," and continued, "One or two of them caused trouble and were not good at their jobs, so they were dismissed. But then, hiding behind anonymity, they made it look like she was abusing her power. That really doesn't make sense." He further commented, "When current or former aides say that's not true, the media refuses to report it."

In response, on the 13th, Lee Jongbae, a Seoul Metropolitan Council member from the People Power Party, filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, accusing Yoo Si-min of defamation by spreading false information. Lee stated, "The aide who claimed to be a victim of power abuse simply reported that Kang Sunwoo made unreasonable demands, such as toilet repairs and trash collection, during their employment," and added, "Yoo Si-min's claims are false."

Previously, Jeong Cheongrae, the Democratic Party leader, also defended Kang Sunwoo. Jeong said that he spoke with Kang by phone right after the party convention on August 2, telling her, "I will be your strong supporter. Stay strong." In a subsequent interview on 'Kim Eo-jun's Dasboida' on August 9, he said, "Kang Sunwoo is so fluent in English that she served as the International Committee Chair. Before coming here, she even wrote 'International Committee Chair reappointment' on her notepad." Meanwhile, it has been reported that the Democratic Party Aides' Council is currently conducting a 'survey on the human rights and working conditions of aides' in response to the controversy surrounding Kang Sunwoo.