Jo Kuk Posts 'Soybean Paste Stew Video'... Opposition Criticizes: "Pretending to Be Ordinary After Visiting High-End Hanwoo Restaurant"

Jo Kuk Innovation Party Clarifies:
"We Never Claimed He Ate Only Soybean Paste Stew"

Jo Kuk, former leader of the Jo Kuk Innovation Party, became embroiled in controversy over portraying himself as an ordinary citizen after posting a video of soybean paste stew, claiming it was from a family meal following his release on a special pardon for Liberation Day. The former leader posted a video of stew boiling, describing it as a "family meal," but it was later revealed that the restaurant was a high-end Korean beef (Hanwoo) establishment. Jo, who was released on August 15 following President Lee Jaemyung's Liberation Day pardon and reinstatement, posted a short message reading "family meal" along with a seven-second video of boiling soybean paste stew on his social media that afternoon. After it became known that the restaurant Jo visited was a high-end Hanwoo restaurant in Seocho-gu, Seoul, criticism arose that Jo was pretending to be an ordinary citizen by only showing the stew video, despite having eaten expensive beef.

Former leader of the JoGuk Innovation Party, Jo Guk, who was released after a special pardon on Liberation Day, shared a video of soybean paste stew after having a meal with his family, sparking controversy over his portrayal as an ordinary citizen. Jo Guk, leader of the JoGuk Innovation Party.

Kim Geunsik, a Supreme Council member candidate for the People Power Party, pointed out on BBS Radio's "Kim Taeseop's Morning Journal" on the 19th, "If you eat at an expensive place, you should just say so. Hiding that image and only posting a humble boiling soybean paste stew is truly hypocritical." Kim also posted on social media, saying, "Such hypocrisy is typical of Jo Kuk," and added, "He always claims to be progressive, but Jo Kuk has lived a life of privilege and vested interests more than anyone else." He continued, "If you like beef and have money, just proudly say you enjoyed it at an expensive Hanwoo restaurant. If it were me, on the first day out, I would quietly eat a warm homemade meal at home-that would be normal. Such a peculiar family, and Jo Kuk never changes. Jo Kuk being Jo Kuk," he said.

Assemblyman Park Junghoon of the People Power Party also criticized Jo on social media the previous day, saying, "Jo Kuk is truly incorrigible." Park explained, "Jo said he couldn't eat meat in prison and that his son-in-law treated him. That's understandable-of course, he would have craved meat, and it's natural for his son-in-law to treat him to a meal." However, he emphasized, "The problem is why he posted a photo of soybean paste stew after eating expensive beef." He added, "Did he think he would gain politically by pretending to be an ordinary citizen eating humble stew? It seems he hasn't changed at all, even after prison."

Jo Kuk Innovation Party: "We never claimed he ate only soybean paste stew"

Former leader of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, Jo Guk, who was released on a special pardon for Liberation Day, posted a video of soybean paste stew after having a meal with his family, sparking controversy over his portrayal as an ordinary citizen. Jo Guk Facebook

As the controversy grew, Kim Sunmin, acting leader of the Jo Kuk Innovation Party, addressed the issue on CPBC Radio's "Kim Junil's News Sympathy." When the host asked, "Some people claim that posting only the stew after eating at a very expensive Hanwoo restaurant is hypocritical," Kim responded, "We simply said it was a family meal; we never claimed he ate only soybean paste stew."

Kim added, "I heard that Jo Kuk really likes meat, so for his first meal after release, he went to a barbecue restaurant with his family. He loves grilled meat, which he obviously couldn't have in prison. He also said he missed things like cafe lattes and scones." Furthermore, the previous day, Jo Kuk addressed the controversy on the YouTube channel "Kim Eo-jun's Humility Is Hard News Factory," saying, "I wanted to eat meat, but it was hard to get in prison. I couldn't even eat eggs. On my first day out, my son-in-law reserved a barbecue restaurant and treated me to a lot of meat."