Park Beom-gye Explains 'Regional Disparagement' Controversy: "I Was Not Mocking Dialects"

Controversy Over Triple Homeowners: "Own 2 Houses and 1 Commercial Property... Currently Disposing"
"Yoon Hee-sook's Message Ultimately About Landlords, Not Tenants"

Park Beom-gye, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Park Beomgye, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who criticized Yoon Heesook, a member of the United Future Party, for her '5-minute speech' in the National Assembly plenary session pointing out some side effects of the amendment to the Housing Lease Protection Act, was counterattacked for 'regional disparagement.' On the 2nd, Park issued an explanation regarding this.

In a post on his Facebook that day, Park explained, "Regarding intonation, it was not an expression mocking a specific regional dialect," adding, "I pointed out the agitated tone used when attacking the government and ruling party, but since it seemed unrelated to the message and inappropriate, I deleted it (from the original post)."

Regarding the criticism that he himself owns three houses as a multi-homeowner, Park responded, "I am indeed a two-homeowner and own one commercial property," adding, "The disposal process is currently underway. My wife inherited it."

He continued, "I sold the apartment in Seocho-dong, Seoul, for 600 million won immediately after being elected as a National Assembly member in Daejeon in 2012," and added, "I lived in Daejeon on a jeonse lease for a long time and recently purchased an apartment, which is why I became a two-homeowner."

Park said, "I highly appreciate Yoon's disposal of the apartment in Sejong City," and "I hope she grows even more."

On the previous day (the 1st), Park wrote on Facebook about Yoon, "Not glaring and not having a strange intonation is a rare case on their (United Future Party) side, so I evaluate it," which sparked controversy over regional disparagement from the opposition.

Park also pointed out that Yoon was a two-homeowner until just before her speech in the National Assembly, saying, "She is not a so-called 'original' tenant." In response, some criticized Park, questioning whether he himself is a three-homeowner.

Meanwhile, regardless of the explanation, Park continued to criticize Yoon's speech in the National Assembly. He pointed out, "Yoon's message ultimately is about landlords."

He explained, "This Housing Lease Protection Act has ensured that those worried about being evicted every two years will not have to worry for at least four years," adding, "It has made it absolutely impossible for jeonse prices and monthly rents to rise sharply. Even if some jeonse is converted to monthly rent or partially returned, it is restricted."

He continued, "The law was made and passed to stabilize housing for those without property, but the country is still being told to compensate those who have property," and criticized, "No matter how much capitalism develops, such a system probably does not exist."

He pointed out, "Yoon emphasized at the beginning of her speech that she is a tenant and the hardship she endured, but she called for landlord protection," adding, "Right after the speech, she changed her expression on Facebook to say she is both a landlord and a tenant. This is a side issue, not the essence."

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