Kim Geun-sik: "Democratic Party's Efforts to 'Save Yoon Mi-hyang' Are Pathetic and Unsightly"

"Within the Democratic Party, 'Yoon Mi-hyang Protection' May Have Other Reasons"

Professor Kim Geun-sik, Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, Gyeongnam National University. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 28th, Professor Kim Geunsik of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Gyeongnam National University (former United Future Party candidate for Seoul Songpa-byeong) criticized the Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan and other party leaders for defending Yoon Mee-hyang, the Democratic Party elected official embroiled in allegations of misappropriating donations from the Justice Memory Solidarity (Jeonguiyeon), saying, "It is truly pathetic and disgraceful."

Professor Kim wrote on his Facebook that day, "Democratic Party leaders and senior members, including Leader Lee Hae-chan, Woo Sang-ho, and Kim Doo-kwan, have all simultaneously launched a 'rescue operation' for Private First Class Yoon Mee-hyang," adding, "Even after watching the tearful press conference of (Japanese military sexual slavery victim) grandmother Lee Yong-soo, following the sophistry of Kim Eo-jun and Choi Min-hee, now the ruling party is launching a full counterattack."

He continued, "Although the vast majority of the public simply demands that Yoon Mee-hyang apologize, admit her mistakes, and take moral responsibility, the Democratic Party leadership counters by calling it an 'attack by far-right forces on the comfort women movement,' and tries to muddy the waters with feelings of greed and jealousy, saying grandmother Lee Yong-soo is angry because she cannot engage in politics. It is simply pathetic," he pointed out.

He also said, "In the comfort women film 'I Can Speak,' which features grandmother Lee Yong-soo, the highlight of the protagonist's deeply moving speech to the U.S. Congress was a single phrase directed at Japan: 'I'm sorry. Is that one word so difficult to say?'" He added, "Now, the public is asking the Democratic Party and Yoon Mee-hyang the same question: 'Is that one word, 'sorry,' really that difficult to say?'"

Professor Kim then said, "Watching Leader Lee Hae-chan and lawmakers Woo Sang-ho and Kim Doo-kwan make an unusually excessive effort to defend Yoon Mee-hyang, I also sense, as someone once said, a 'smell.' Even within the party, there are calls for self-commitment and responsibility, but the party leader issues a gag order and forcibly defends Yoon Mee-hyang with weak and embarrassing logic. There must be another reason behind this smell," he emphasized.

He added, "It overlaps with the 'dark shadow' mentioned by Leader Lee in the eulogy for the late President Roh Moo-hyun regarding the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, and I get the feeling that this preemptive muddying of the waters is due to anxiety that if Yoon Mee-hyang and Jeonguiyeon are exposed, the corruption of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, which collects tens of billions in membership fees, might also be uncovered. I hope this is not true," he said.

Finally, Professor Kim said, "The pro-Moon Jae-in and Moonba (Moon supporters) factions who call grandmother Lee Yong-soo a 'Japanese collaborator' are trapped in an extreme factional logic where right and wrong do not matter, only that our side is right and the opponent is the enemy. True politicians and leaders should clearly and firmly draw the line, saying what is wrong is wrong, instead of following and riding along with the nonsense and delusions of such extreme supporters. I also ask lawmakers Woo Sang-ho and Kim Doo-kwan to regain their reason," he concluded.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.