"Public Nuisance Inciting Hate" vs. "Having a Meltdown?"... Kim Byungju and Lee Junseok Clash Over the 'Chorongi Debate'

Lee Junseok Calls It a "Chorongi Rescue Show"... Kim Byungju Responds, "Where Did You Learn That?"
"Boasting About Rescuing Criminal Suspects for Self-Promotion"

Kim Byungju, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Junseok, Representative of the Reform New Party. Kim Byungju Lee Junseok Facebook

Kim Byungju, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Junseok, Representative of the Reform New Party, continue to clash over the kidnapping of Korean nationals in Cambodia. On October 18, the government used a chartered flight to repatriate over 60 Koreans who had been detained following a crackdown by local Cambodian police on a criminal compound. In response, Kim Byungju was moved to tears, while Lee Junseok criticized the operation as a "Chorongi rescue show."

On October 23, during the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Lee Junseok said, "I was appalled to see some politicians boasting about rescuing criminal suspects as a means of self-promotion." Referring to some suspects whose arms were covered in tattoos, Lee likened them to the character "Chorongi" from the film "The Outlaws 3," and called the operation a "rescue mission show."

He further stated, "They stand in front of the cameras before going to the scene, acting excited like reckless YouTubers but taking no responsibility. Is staging a show about military options and boasting about chartered flights a national strategy? There is no direction or consistency-only noise for the sake of elections remains."

"Branding a Young Man as a Gangster Because of a Tattoo... Where Did You Learn to Call Him 'Chorongi'?"

In response, Kim Byungju criticized Lee for stigmatizing the young man as a gangster simply because he had a tattoo, likening his behavior to that of reckless YouTubers and lacking any factual basis.

On October 23, Kim Byungju posted on his social media, "Lee Junseok, who incites division and hate, has become a public nuisance. Old habits die hard-he couldn't resist teaming up with his former party, the People Power Party, to brand the public as gangsters," directly criticizing Lee.

He continued, "How is this any different from criticizing the rescue of inmates from a burning prison by saying it's just saving criminals? He claims to care about young people, but then calls a young man whose life was in danger 'Chorongi.' Where did he learn such a bad habit?"

The young man rescued by the government from Cambodia via a chartered flight has a tattoo on his arm. SNS capture

Kim also referenced Lee's previous remarks about chopsticks and allegations of sexual favors, saying that such tactics would not work this time. Kim warned, "You may have survived this long by selling your conscience, but if you have even a shred of it left, you should deeply reflect on your own disgraceful wrongdoings and immediately resign from your parliamentary seat before talking about the public or young people."

Lee Junseok responded by sharing Kim Byungju's post and leaving a brief comment. Lee wrote, "Assemblyman Kim Byungju, are you having a meltdown?" and added, "It's shocking to realize that a four-star general could be this psychologically unstable."