"Is She Really a Feminist President?" Silence Grows from Moon on the 'Park Won-soon Case'... Citizens Express Frustration

Self-Proclaimed 'Feminist President' Silent for 2 Weeks
Blue House: "Can Comment After Truth Investigation"
Citizens: "Hypocrisy, Double Standards" Outraged

About two weeks have passed since the sexual harassment allegations against the late Park Won-soon, former Mayor of Seoul, surfaced, but the Blue House has yet to make an official statement, drawing increasing public criticism. President Moon Jae-in.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kang Joo-hee] About two weeks after the sexual harassment allegations against the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon surfaced, public criticism is intensifying as the Blue House still has not issued an official statement.

Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok reportedly expressed through a media outlet on the 23rd, "We empathize with the victim's position. We want to offer words of comfort to the victim," but the Blue House immediately emphasized that this was not an official stance but the spokesperson's personal opinion, dismissing the report.

Given this situation, citizens cannot hide their disappointment with President Moon Jae-in's actions, who remains silent on the power-related sexual misconduct cases involving ruling party lawmakers.

Previously, it has been pointed out that this contrasts with President Moon's active stance whenever national outrage-inducing sexual crime cases such as Burning Sun, Telegram Nth Room, and former Justice Vice Minister Kim Hak-eui's case occurred.

President Moon also faced public criticism for not issuing any statement when sexual crime cases involving ruling party figures, former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung and former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don, surfaced.

Office worker Lee (28) said, "Why is the government, which has taken a firm and strong stance every time a sexual crime occurred in the past, saying nothing about this case?" and expressed frustration, saying, "Silence is ultimately no different from defending the perpetrator. This administration actively defends those on its side even if they commit sexual crimes."

An article titled "The president comes under fire," reported by the American CNN broadcast on the 16th./Photo by CNN homepage capture

Regarding President Moon's silence, ruling party figures also avoid direct answers or refrain from commenting.

On the 21st, Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Nak-yeon, in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' was asked, "How should we interpret the president's silence?" He replied, "The president will make various judgments," and added, "I don't think the president has to comment on every issue. Sometimes not speaking is also a response," avoiding a specific answer.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun also gave an ambiguous answer about President Moon's silence during a parliamentary question session on the 22nd, saying, "The president is attending to other state affairs, so he may or may not comment on that matter."

When Future United Party lawmaker Kim Tae-heum asked, "Does President Moon's gender sensitivity operate depending on whether someone is on his side or not?" Prime Minister Chung briefly replied, "I don't think so."

Earlier, President Moon declared in a 2017 keynote speech on 'gender equality policy' that he would become a "feminist president." However, as sexual crime cases involving high-ranking ruling party officials continued to emerge, President Moon's silence has led citizens to express greater disappointment and anger.

Another office worker B (29) lamented, "Was it all a lie that he claimed to be a feminist and supported the Me Too movement?" and said, "I can no longer bear to see the double standards and hypocrisy of remaining silent despite the ongoing sexual crime cases involving ruling party figures. It's heartbreaking."

Foreign media also reported on the death of former Mayor Park and the sexual harassment allegations, mentioning President Moon's silence. On the 16th, the U.S. CNN broadcast published an article titled "The president comes under fire," criticizing, "(President Moon's silence) makes the public even angrier."

CNN pointed out, "President Moon not only refrained from making a public statement but also did not mention former Mayor Park's death, the accuser, or even broader gender issues in his National Assembly opening speech," and questioned, "It is doubtful how seriously President Moon takes the sexual harassment issue."

Kang Min-seok, Blue House spokesperson, is briefing on President Moon Jae-in's instructions related to the Korean New Deal at the Blue House on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News.

Voices criticizing the Blue House's silence continue daily within the political sphere as well.

United Party spokesperson Kim Eun-hye said on the 23rd, "Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun gave a puzzling answer that the president might not comment because he is attending to 'other state affairs,'" and criticized, "What exactly are these 'other state affairs' that prevent the feminist president, who has been at the forefront of women's rights, from saying a single word?"

Spokesperson Kim urged, "If this is not a government of hypocrisy and pretense pretending to care for women and the vulnerable, it should break its silence after 14 days."

Justice Party spokesperson Jo Hye-min also released a statement on the 24th, saying, "The Blue House said there should be no secondary harm to the victim but gave a sloppy answer that an official statement would only be made after the investigation results," and pointed out, "This contrasts with the president's stance at the start of the 2018 Me Too movement, when he said he respected the courage of victims who revealed their experiences and actively supported the movement."

She added, "Now, when secondary harm is rampant, we urge President Moon to clearly state whose side he will take."

Despite demands from inside and outside the political sphere, the Blue House maintains that an official statement is possible only after a clear investigation of the facts.

Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok said at a briefing on the 23rd, "We have a firm stance on sexual misconduct by high-ranking officials, and the victim's position is the top priority, which is the Blue House's existing position," and added, "We understand that the Seoul City investigation has been transferred to the National Human Rights Commission. Once the fact-finding work by the National Human Rights Commission clarifies the facts, a clearer and official stance will be announced."

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