Noh Young-hee: "Baek Seon-yeop Admitted 'Aiming Guns at Our Fellow Countrymen'"

"Even with all the efforts, pro-Japanese activities cannot be glorified"

On the afternoon of the 14th, citizens are paying their respects at the memorial altar for the late General Baek Seon-yeop set up at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Lawyer Noh Young-hee, host of the YTN radio current affairs program 'Noh Young-hee's Start of a New Morning,' sparked controversy after her remarks about the recently deceased General Baek Seon-yeop became known. She claimed that he "fired shots at our own people in North Korea" and that "he should not be buried in the National Cemetery."

General Baek, who passed away on the 10th due to an illness, is a hero of the Korean War (6.25 War) but has faced criticism for his pro-Japanese activities, including serving in the Manchurian Gando Special Unit during the Japanese colonial period.

The government decided to inter him at the National Daejeon Cemetery, but this decision sparked political controversy.

In response, Lawyer Noh appeared as a panelist on MBN's 'News Wide' on the 13th and said, "I don't understand. Just because he is recognized for his achievements in winning the war by firing shots at our own people in North Korea during the Korean War, does that mean he should be buried in the National Cemetery?"

She added, "He himself admitted, 'I cannot help being criticized. I aimed my gun at my compatriots.' I think pro-Japanese collaborators are worse. I believe he should not be buried in the Daejeon National Cemetery either."

When the host asked, "Are you unwilling to revise your statement that the Korean War was a war where shots were fired at our own people?" Lawyer Noh replied, "Wasn't the Korean War a fight against North Korea? What should I say? I don't really know."

She further explained, "To clarify in case of misunderstandings, my argument is that no matter how much merit one earns in the Korean War, past pro-Japanese activities should not be glorified or cause everything else to be overlooked."

After the broadcast, some netizens reacted that Lawyer Noh's remarks were inappropriate. Some even demanded her removal from the YTN radio program she hosts.

One netizen strongly criticized on social media, "So are you saying we should have accepted communist unification? Such remarks give me a headache." Another wrote on the YTN listener board, "I wonder if I should continue listening to a program hosted by someone who makes such statements."

Amid the spreading controversy, Lawyer Noh posted on her Facebook on the 14th, saying, "I think I unintentionally made a misleading statement during the live broadcast," and added, "I corrected it with a second statement during the broadcast."

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