[Comprehensive] Taeyongho "Did He Teach Loyalty Oath to Kim Il-sung?" Lee In-young "I Have No Such Memory"

Lee In-young, Minister of Unification Nominee Hearing
"Have you ever been called a 'ppalgaengi' (communist)?"
"Did you pledge loyalty every morning in front of Kim Il-sung's portrait?"
Taeyongho's Attack on North Korea's Juche Ideology... Ideological Screening Offensive

Lee In-young, the nominee for Minister of Unification, is responding to questions at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 23rd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 23rd, at the confirmation hearing for the Minister of Unification candidate held by the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, controversy arose as Tae Young-ho, a former North Korean defector and member of the Future United Party, conducted an ideological screening against Lee In-young, the candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea.

During the morning hearing at the National Assembly, Tae, who was the first to question among the Future United Party committee members, asked, "Have you ever been called a 'ppalgaengi' (red)?”

He then explained the background of his question, saying, "When I first ran for a local election, I heard many negative remarks such as being called a 'ppalgaengi' or that my ideology had not been screened," and asked, "Have you ever heard such remarks?"

In response, candidate Lee said, "There were murmurs like that among people, and there was also a time when the regime publicly labeled me as a pro-communist force."

Following this, Tae released materials titled "The Life Trajectories of Two Kim Il-sung Juche Ideology Believers: Tae Young-ho and Lee In-young."

Tae referred to Lee’s history as the first chairman of the 'National Council of Student Representatives' (Jeondaehyeop) in the late 1980s, leading student movements, and asked, "In the 1980s, North Korea taught that 'Jeondaehyeop members pledge loyalty every morning in front of Kim Il-sung’s portrait to liberate South Korea from American imperialist colonial rule.' Did such a thing happen?"

Lee responded, "As the chairman of Jeondaehyeop, I have no memory of pledging loyalty every morning in front of Kim Il-sung’s photo or believing in Juche ideology. I think that is an exaggerated story," dismissing the allegations raised by Tae.

On the morning of the 23rd, at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee confirmation hearing in Yeouido, Seoul, Tae Young-ho, a member of the United Future Party, is questioning Lee In-young, the nominee for Minister of Unification.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Then Tae asked, "In the late 1990s, Kim Jong-il sent spies to unify South Korea under communism and restore so-called underground party organizations. Have you ever read the book 'No One Reported Me,' written by one of those spies who came down then?" He asked, "Page 339, does the content about you match?"

Tae again questioned, "Have you ever publicly declared when and where you 'abandoned Juche ideology and are not a believer'?" aiming to verify Lee’s ideology. Tae also presented a photo from his own press conference in South Korea after defecting, where he shouted "Long live the Republic of Korea."

In response, Lee said, "So-called 'conversion' applies to people like Mr. Tae who came from the North to the South. Asking me about ideological conversion is an inappropriate question, even if asked as a hearing committee member."

He added, "While ideological conversion may be explicitly forced in the North, in the South there is freedom of thought and conscience," and sharply criticized, "Asking about conversion shows a lack of understanding of the South."

On the morning of the 23rd, at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee confirmation hearing in Yeouido, Seoul, Tae Young-ho, a member of the Future United Party, is questioning Lee In-young, the nominee for Minister of Unification.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

As the ideological screening controversy arose, Kim Young-ho, the Democratic Party’s secretary of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, expressed strong regret through a procedural statement, saying, "Asking a four-term National Assembly member and Minister of Unification candidate whether he has 'abandoned Juche ideology or converted' is an act that insults the National Assembly."

In response, Kim Seok-ki, the Future United Party’s secretary, said, "I think it is natural to ask whether the candidate was involved in Kim Il-sung’s ideology or Jeondaehyeop in the past and whether he still believes in Juche ideology," targeting Kim Young-ho, and raised his voice, saying, "It is impolite to criticize the remarks of a fellow National Assembly member as inappropriate."

Park Jin, also from the Future United Party, joined in, raising his voice, saying, "Regarding candidate Lee, there have been doubts about ideological bias due to his past student activism, struggles, revolutions, and remarks."

Jeong Jin-seok, from the same party, emphasized, "When you think of the politician Lee In-young, the image of 'anti-Americanism' or 'Our Nation Together' naturally comes to mind," and added, "Therefore, some degree of screening is natural for a candidate who wishes to become a member of the South Korean government."

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