Trump Raises 'Purge and Revolution' Allegations;
President Lee Responds, "The Special Prosecutor Confirmed by the Korean Military"
Trump Clarifies, Saying, "It Was a Misunderstanding"
Joo Jinwoo, a member of the People Power Party, is conducting a filibuster (legitimate parliamentary obstruction through unlimited debate) opposing the 'stronger' amendment to the Commercial Act at the National Assembly plenary session on the 25th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
Joo Jinwoo, a member of the People Power Party, pointed out that the protocol failures at President Lee Jaemyung’s accommodation and airport in the United States already constitute an unprecedented diplomatic disaster, and that U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about purges and revolution, along with his statement that business with Korea is impossible, represent the greatest humiliation in the 72-year history of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
On August 26, Joo Jinwoo stated on his Facebook page, “This is the result of President Lee Jaemyung and the Democratic Party’s anti-American, pro-China, and authoritarian actions.” He added that the ruling party’s creation of a special prosecutor to investigate only opposition figures is not a normal judicial system, but rather a people’s court method typical of a one-party dictatorship.
Joo Jinwoo further stated, “The special prosecutor handpicked by President Lee arrested a former president and is now attempting to detain even Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, an expert on U.S. affairs, which likely appeared as a ‘purge.’” He continued, “Raiding U.S. military bases by accusing military activities against North Korea as foreign exchange crimes, and even raiding churches, which are central to religious freedom, are serious threats to the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the system of liberal democracy.”
He went on to say, “The Democratic Party directly led the special prosecutor to forcibly bring in a former president, pressured the release of prison CCTV footage, and even handcuffed him in the hospital-actions perceived as anti-human rights behaviors reminiscent of a ‘communist revolution.’” He criticized, “If the national interest of the Republic of Korea cannot be protected, President Lee must bear full responsibility for causing this situation.”
In response to Trump’s claims of 'purge and revolution,' President Lee says, "The special prosecutor confirmed by the Korean military"… Trump corrects himself, saying, "It was a misunderstanding."
Meanwhile, just before the South Korea-U.S. summit, President Lee Jaemyung addressed the suspicions raised by President Donald Trump on social media by explaining, “A special prosecutor appointed by the National Assembly is currently conducting a fact-finding investigation.” President Trump responded, “In that case, I believe it was a misunderstanding,” thereby temporarily calming the controversy.
President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump are shaking hands during a summit at the White House in Washington DC on the 25th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News
On August 25 (local time), during the South Korea-U.S. summit held in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC, President Trump said, “I heard there was a raid on a church in Korea. If that is true, it would not be a good thing. I thought such a thing would not happen in Korea.”
In response, President Lee actively clarified the facts regarding the suspicion. He said, “To put it simply, as you know, the Republic of Korea has only recently overcome the chaos caused by a palace coup. Regarding the insurrection, a special prosecutor appointed and led by the National Assembly is conducting a fact-finding investigation.”
President Lee Jae Myung is shaking hands with U.S. President Donald Trump, who came out to greet him at the White House in Washington DC on the 25th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News
He continued, “Although it is not under my control, the Korean prosecution is conducting fact-checking and fact verification. They did not directly investigate U.S. forces; rather, it seems they investigated how the Korean military’s control system operated within that context. I will explain in more detail later.”
After hearing President Lee’s explanation, President Trump said, “In that case, I am confident it was a misunderstanding. However, it is true there are rumors circulating about a raid on a church. I am confident the investigation was concluded properly.”
Earlier, three hours before the summit, President Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, “What is happening in Korea? It looks like a purge or revolution.” He also wrote, “We cannot do business in Korea.”
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