United Future Party, Jeon Gwang-hoon and Taegeukgi 'Dilemma'... Kim Jong-in's Emergency Committee on the Test Bench

United Future Party Continues Silence, Indirectly Criticizes
Kim Eun-hye "No Response to Democratic Party Questions"
Current and Former Lawmakers Protest "Attacks on Specific Churches and Religious Figures"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The United Future Party has fallen into a ‘Jeon Gwang-hoon and Taegeukgi’ dilemma amid the resurgence phase of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The emergency committee led by Kim Jong-in, which has virtually embarked on expanding its outreach to the moderate middle ground, is now being put to the test. The United Future Party remained silent about the Liberation Day rally led by far-right figures such as Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon and the participation of Representative Hong Moon-pyo and former Representatives Kim Jin-tae and Min Kyung-wook, before indirectly criticizing it.

On the 18th, Floor Leader Joo Ho-young said on CBS Radio, “The Gwanghwamun rally should be viewed from two different dimensions. From a quarantine perspective, the Gwanghwamun rally was wrong,” but added, “Despite the risk of infection, many people gathered to oppose and criticize the government, and that message should be seen differently.” When asked why the party’s official stance has not been released, Floor Leader Joo replied, “I understand it has been expressed directly or indirectly.”

Until the day before, the United Future Party consistently maintained silence. On the 17th, spokesperson Kim Eun-hye told reporters at the National Assembly that she would “not respond to the Democratic Party’s questions” regarding Pastor Jeon’s COVID-19 diagnosis. Regarding the party’s stance on the Gwanghwamun rally, spokesperson Kim referred to the previous day’s statement. On the 16th, spokesperson Bae Jun-young said, “The government and ruling party should humbly accept the voices of criticism from the many people near Gwanghwamun yesterday regarding the government’s mismanagement,” while also stating only a general position: “All citizens must actively cooperate with the government’s quarantine measures to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the metropolitan area.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The United Future Party did not participate in the Liberation Day rally at the party level but has not completely distanced itself either. On the 15th, current Representative Hong Moon-pyo and former Representatives Kim Jin-tae and Min Kyung-wook participated in the Gwanghwamun rally. From the United Future Party’s perspective, it must distance itself from far-right forces to target the moderate middle ground, but doing so risks losing its traditional support base. Earlier, on the 11th, Chairman Kim also distanced the party from attending as a whole while taking an ambiguous stance by saying, “Party members themselves are free to participate if they wish.”

Current and former United Future Party lawmakers have defined the current situation as an “attack on a specific church and religious people” and launched an offensive. On the 17th, Representative Jung Jin-seok wrote on Facebook, “Voices attacking a specific church and specific religious people are growing louder. As seen in the case of COVID-19 spread centered on the Shincheonji Church and Itaewon clubs, attacks on specific groups did not help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” adding, “When the president, prime minister, and the ruling party’s next-generation leaders get angry and scold, those who need to be tested shrink back.”

Former Representative Min Kyung-wook said, “Today alone, 260,000 vacationers gathered in Haeundae, and 860,000 in all beaches across Busan. Test all those people in swimsuits for COVID-19 and take legal action,” adding, “The very police and Seoul city authorities who tried to block constitutional rights to protest and assembly to prevent group infections of COVID-19 blocked all roads by car, exposing citizens to greater risk of group infection. I will file a lawsuit.” Former Representative Kim Jin-tae said, “It is unacceptable in a democratic country for the president to threaten the people,” and added, “Why was former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon given a Seoul mayoral funeral right in the middle of Gwanghwamun? The hypocritical government that suppresses the angry public who voluntarily came out in the rain has only a downhill path ahead.”

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