"June's Election Proved That Drunk Driving and Assault Are No Obstacle"
"Jo Jinwoong Retires, President Is Accepted... A Contradiction of Morality"
As actor Jo Jinwoong announced his retirement due to past controversies, Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, referenced this incident to directly criticize President Lee Jaemyung.
On December 7, Lee posted on his Facebook, "The democratic vote last June showed that drunk driving, impersonating a public official, and acts of violence or property damage (obstructing official duties with special circumstances) are not considered problems when it comes to becoming president. I always respect the results of the vote, as they are the clearest expression of the people's will."
Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, directly criticized President Lee Jae-myung by mentioning actor Jo Jinwoong, who declared retirement due to past controversies.
He then mentioned Jo Jinwoong's retirement, stating, "However, Jo Jinwoong has denied charges such as rape, and ultimately, an actor who admitted to assault ended up retiring due to a juvenile record. This creates a contradiction where the president is deemed acceptable, but the actor must retire."
He continued, "It seems that Democratic Party supporters are now arguing, using partisan logic, that actors should not be held to high moral standards and that Jo Jinwoong must be protected from a 'conspiracy by the opposing camp.' They have even resorted to personal attacks against the journalist who reported on this case." However, he added, "I personally do not hold actors to an absolute moral standard, so I have no particular thoughts on Jo Jinwoong's case. But if the head of state is not particularly moral, then every time something like this happens, it will always feel relatively uncomfortable."
Controversy over Jo Jinwoong's past crimes surfaced on December 5, when reports alleged that he had been involved in car theft and sexual assault during high school. Citing a source, the report stated that Jo Jinwoong was tried as a juvenile for robbery and rape under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (as of 1994) and was sent to a juvenile detention center. It also mentioned his history of assault and drunk driving after debuting as an actor.
His agency stated, "After confirming with the actor, we verified that there were wrongful acts committed during his minor years. However, these were not related to sexual assault." Subsequently, Jo Jinwoong, through his agency, officially announced his retirement, saying, "First, I sincerely apologize to everyone who believed in and supported me for disappointing you with my past misconduct. I humbly accept all criticism and, as of today, will halt all activities and put an end to my acting career. I believe this is the rightful responsibility and duty I must bear for my past wrongdoings."
Jo Jinwoong's retirement declaration is also affecting ongoing and upcoming projects. Although filming for tvN's drama 'Second Signal,' the sequel to 'Signal,' has been completed, editing or reshooting scenes featuring Jo Jinwoong, who plays a leading role, is virtually impossible. SBS's special documentary 'War on Crime' has replaced the narrator and re-recorded the narration, while KBS has made the documentary 'Special Envoy Jo Jinwoong: Bringing General Hong Beomdo Home' private on its YouTube channel.
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